Diary of a cat breeder DFW

worried48

Thought I'd missed some. It's 48. Looks as if it's about to go up to 49 as one I sold recently looks as if he's coming back. O well, being positive I suppose that must mean the cost per cat is a bit less than I thought. Should be able to pay the vet off by Weds and then must get back on track so that some more can leave.

Butti

Have you thought of cutting your losses Worried? Deciding on what key cats you want to keep as your key stud cats and getting the cat equivalent of the Dogs Trust / RSPCA in to help you with the rest.

worried48

RSPCA? No way! Anything they regarded as not immediately rehomeable for money would live about as long as it took the inspector to drive to the next street and stick a needle in it!

No thank you, I got myself into this mess and I will get myself out of it, it just might take some time that's all. Must call the vet tomorrow to pay the bill, then I can start thinking of getting things back on track as far as neutering and rehoming is concerned.

worried48

Well I have come up with a plan that might at least make it look as if I am gettign somewhere. The difficulty I have is that we run a business (not cats) and income is therefore unpredictable. However recently we had a PPI claim that has enabled us to get ahead, everyone is paid up to date as far as the business is concerned, I have just paid the vet up to date and there are still funds sitting in the account (it's overdrawn but I mean there are funds there within our limit) So, this is what I intend to do and we'll see if it can be kept up (the crunch comes in February, that's when sales drop!)

When I sell a kitten / cat, or receive a speaking fee, pay that amount off a credit card - in addition to the minimum payment.

The £130 we are now saving on the loan payment after the PPI was removed - pay that also off a credit card, again in addition to the mimunim payment.

When I buy clothes, these are always from Oxendales (I don't buy much) and I always put them on my account which, consequently, never gets cleared. Could have paid it off but because of the uncertainty about income I would feel safer if I could get the money if I need to so - if I order from Oxendales, I pay that amount off of a credit card, again in addition to the minimum payment.

So, doing these three things, today I have paid £350 off my Capital One card - minimum payment was £33.91, kitten sale £100, savings on loan payment £130, amount I paid to Oxendales £90. I shall try hard not to have to take it back again. Oops, just realised I added it up wrong, I intended to round it up not down. Never mind, I'll make sure I add at least £8 to the next payment I make on a card.

It does feel good paying more than the minimum. Must try to make savings enough to do this more often!

worried48

One thing that is worrying me is that our business overdraft ends in January and although in theory it might just about be possible to manage without it in the very short term, we have to pay the VAT in January too and there's no way we can do that and the cards if the overdraft suddenly goes. Husband has been asked many times to please call the bank (by me, I mean, he is not in any trouble with the bank and I don't think there will be any problem renewing the overdraft) but he just won't do it. When this has happened previously he has just ignored it until suddenly the overdraft is down to zero, then there has been a huge amount of stress as he has to call the bank in a hurry and meanwhile payments bounce.

worried48

Just received payment for a cat (10 months, utterly adorable but still here because of a slight medical issue which the buyer is willing to cope with), £200 (less than half the going rate for a healthy kitten, but hey, who's complaining?). So now I've paid Vanquis £340 (this month's minimum payment, rounded up to the nearest £10, plus the cat payment)

Now, if I can keep this up (that is a big IF) I might get out of this mess.

worried48

£10 speaking fee tonight which I wasn;t really expecting

elantan

In what capacity do you " speak"

worried48

I'm a Lay Preacher - nearly always it's that but very occasionally I get to do a talk on cats or something else (hedgehogs recently)

elantan

Ahhh right got ya ... Just wondered



Incidently ... What's a lay preacher ?