Warzone cats: Situation deteriorates as missile lands next door

A group of rescue cats used up one of their nine lives after a missile landed yards away from their sanctuary and failed to explode.

Chachi's Haven, near Tel Mond in the Sharon Region of Israel, has been helping more than 500 street felines during the conflict and been attacked several times. The cat shelter survived another near miss on Monday (14/10) after a missile was intercepted before landing in a field just next door to the facility.

Founder of the shelter Gail Joss, 65, said: "During the third attack in the afternoon, I was sure I heard a high-pitched whizzing sound go past our back door.

"It turns out that one of the missiles was intercepted right above us.

"It landed in the field next door.

"The security forces were out there securing it because it could still explode.

"So, maybe we were lucky, but it doesn't feel like it."

It was reported that the Israeli military claimed the projectiles were fired from Lebanon. This latest attack comes off the back of a significant incursion by Iran on October 1 when around 200 missiles were fired in two waves into Israel. One person was killed and several injured in the launches which Tehran said were a response to the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others.

Gail said that during the October 1 attack, the earth shook around her and the cats as missiles thudded nearby. Ready-made bomb shelters are too expensive said Gail and also impractical due to the large number of cats at the shelter, so Chachi's Haven does not have one. When under attack - the cats have resorted to comforting each other by rubbing their heads together.

Gail added: "The missile attacks are terrifying. "You have no idea when or if you'll be hit and the sirens are deafening. I felt helpless, not being able to protect the cats.

"After a few very close calls where the shelter was shaking, I couldn't comfort them anymore because I was too petrified.

"The cats then started an amazing head-bonking session which helped distract and calm us all - they are amazing creatures."

The Chachi's Haven shelter is housed inside a large warehouse and Gail lives with the cats. She added: "The cats don't seem to bother much with the warning sirens. It's when the huge booms start, the doors start rattling and the ground shakes - that they panic.

"Some missiles have been so close - I hate to admit it but I freaked out too. I stand close to our front exit when it happens. The cats congregate wherever I am. My thinking is that if we are hit, we can maybe get out the door."

Gail is a one-woman operation that receives some support from volunteers online and heartfelt gratitude from her social media followers. She was a former professional tennis player and coached the game as her main income alongside running the shelter. However, since first being diagnosed with health problems over a decade ago, the shelter has solely relied on donations.

She added: "What haunts me every day is all the shelter cats and street cats' lives are dependent on mine." The shelter operates a trapping, neutering and returning programme before returning the street cats to their neighbourhoods. Gail said it is the most effective way to reduce the cat population on the streets and alleviate the misery of those unfortunate, unwanted cats living rough.

She added: "You can't walk two metres in Israel without seeing a cat in need. When the numbers climbed over 50 it became difficult to rent in residential areas, so I rented a warehouse on agricultural land.

"I feed the cats on the streets between 3-6am to try and keep us all safe. I've been beaten up pretty badly twice by cat haters. The police don't give a damn and I now carry pepper spray."

Gail said she has the locations of the feeding stations recorded on her alert app. She said: "As much as I need to be with the cats here at the shelter, I just want to be with all my street cats as well. I am all they have."

For 20 years, Chachi's Haven has been a beacon of hope for Israel's stray cats but the situation in the past 12 months since the war started has only become worse. Gail said many Israelis consider cats to be vermin and she is trying to place them in loving households overseas.

She added: "The war has exacerbated the cat problem. So many people are leaving the country and dumping their pets. It's become a lot harder now with the war because over 100 monthly donations stopped almost immediately. There is also a huge shortage of cat food imports right now. I am battling to cover the quantities I need each week. We are pretty much in survival mode always."

If you are interested in donating money to the Chachi's Haven to help the cats, go to: https://chachishaven.org/donations/