Pocket’s graduation from the Massey Wellington Campus

The staff from Block 9, Level C, have some bittersweet news to share – we've decided it’s time to re-home our beloved campus cat, Pocket. 

Pocket came into our lives over 10 years ago, when she started showing up regularly on campus. After some unsuccessful attempts to track down her original owners, the students’ association and Massey staff at Block 9 decided to take her in and have been caring for her ever since.  

Due to her mysterious beginnings no one is sure exactly how old Pocket is, though we estimate her to be around 13, making her an elderly cat. 

On Monday 23rd of June, staff arrived to campus in the morning and discovered that Pocket had been badly injured, with a large gash on her back leg. We took her to the wonderful team at Central Vet Hospital, where she went under general anesthesia and had her wound stitched up. Through an examination and blood tests, the vet also discovered that Pocket has a disease called Hyperthyroidism.  The good news is that with daily medication, the disease is very manageable and can be well controlled.  

While her wound healed, we were required to keep Pocket indoors for two weeks, with staff volunteering to care for her in their homes during this time. We worried that being an outdoor cat accustomed to lots of roaming space around campus, she would hate being stuck inside. The reality was quite the opposite. Pocket loved being warm and cosy indoors, with consistent company, and showed no desire to be outside. 

After much discussion amongst the staff who have cared for her over the years, we have decided that the best thing for Pocket now, as she enters the later stages of her life, is to be moved to a quiet, loving home, where she can receive extra attention and care.  

At the moment, Pocket is left alone on campus every night and over the weekends, without staff to check in on her. Having discovered her injury on a Monday, we were concerned that Pocket may have had her injury over the whole weekend, and no one was there to notice. As she gets older, and more susceptible to injury or illness, we feel it’s best to have her living with someone full time, so that she can be checked on regularly. Her thyroid condition also requires medication twice a day, which isn’t manageable while she remains on campus. 

We have found Pocket a permanent, loving home with a Massey staff member who knows her well and understands what a special and loved cat she is. We do not make this decision lightly, as we all love having Pocket around on campus, and will miss her dearly once she leaves. However, we feel very strongly that this is the best thing for Pocket and are confident that she will be happier in her new home as she gets older and becomes better suited a quiet, cosy and stable environment.   

We want to give students and staff a chance to say their goodbyes, so Pocket will be remaining on campus until the 29th of July. If you see her before she goes, make sure to give her some extra love.  
 
We have put together a Give A Little page for students and staff to donate to, if they wish to contribute to Pocket’s ongoing care. Any funds raised will be used by her new carer to pay for Pocket’s medication (estimated to be $70-80 monthly), food and vet bills. Disclaimer – this fundraiser has been created and managed in a personal capacity by the staff from Level C, and is not associated or managed in any official capacity by Massey University or Te Tira Ahu Pae.