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In winter, bats go into a hibernation-like state and this is called torpor. Their metabolic rate slows and their body temperature lowers which means they will use less energy. They can survive on the fat they have stored while their insect food source is unavailable in the cold months. Pipistrelles are the most common British bats, weighing around 5 grams (same as a 20p piece) and a single pipistrelle can eat 3,000 tiny insects in just one night!

During hibernation, bats need roosts that are cool and remain at a constant temperature and sometimes they may even find suitable hibernation spots underground such as in caves.

October is when they start to prepare for hibernation however first, more mating takes place (this also happens in September). They build up their fat reserves which is crucial to survive the winter. They also start looking for suitable hibernation sites (Pipistrelles are the most likely to roost in buildings).

• There are over 1,400 species of bats worldwide. Bats can be found on nearly every part of the planet except in extreme deserts and polar regions.
• Baby bats are called ‘Pups’.
• All UK bat species use echolocation to navigate and hunt for insects in the dark.
• Bats are the only true flying mammals in the world.
• A tiny pipistrelle can eat up to 3,000 insects in a night.
• Things we get from bat-adapted plants include dates, vanilla, bananas, breadfruit, guavas, Iroko timber, balsa wood, sisal, Tequila and chewing gum!
• Bats are more closely related to humans than they are to mice.
• The majority of the world’s bats eat insects – just like British bats. In the tropics bats also eat foods like fruit, flowers, frogs, fish, blood, even other bats.
• Bats usually only have one baby a year and can live for up to 30 years.

Baby bats (pups)

Adult bats can be mistaken for babies as people don’t realise how small they can be!

If you suspect that you’ve found a baby bat, call the Bat Conservation Trust on 0345 130 0228, who can put you in touch with your local bat carer. Treat baby bats very carefully – if you have to pick them up, handle with gloves, or use a soft towel.

Remember where you found the bat as it may be possible to return to its mother.

Sick or injured bats

If you can safely reach the bat, the next step is to contain it in a box. Make sure you wear gloves and follow these steps from the Bat Conservation Trust.

Once contained you can take it to a vet, your local wildlife rehabilitator, or If you are unable to transport the bat, call the National RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

Always seek advice from the Bat Conservation Trust if you are unsure on what to do.

As it cools down, we are all wondering whether it is too early to turn the heating on!

Wildlife can struggle at this time of year so read on to see
a visual representation from the National RSPCA website, on how you can help your lovely garden birds this Autumn.

For more on garden birds, click here to be taken top to the RSPB website.

Below are just four of the many common garden birds you may see in your garden this October!

For more on garden birds, click here to be taken to the RSPB website.

The nights are getting cooler, the leaves are changing colour and we are all going nuts for pumpkins, it must be the beginning of Autumn! Enjoy your seasonal advice, tips from the team and news from our Branch. Make sure you don’t scroll past our adoption stars as Adoptober is here! Could you be the one to give an animal a forever loving home? 

Hi everyone!

We are the mineral mice and we are looking for our new forever homes! There are 6 of us brothers and we were signed over to another RSPCA Branch after our breeding got out of control. We were 6 of the 200 mice found in 1 house! We must be housed in groups of two or more as we are social creatures and we would love an enclosure with tunnels and things to chew on! We must be kept in same sex groups… we really don’t need to multiply anymore!

Our fosterer says we are cheeky, really fun to watch and lovely to cuddle. We don’t mind being carefully handled and a little bit of love and care really goes a long way.

For more information, take a look at our adoption page on our website (using the link below). You can also call us on 03030401565 or email us at woof@rspcanorwich.org.

Remember Gypsum, Iodine and Lime, our previous adoption stars from our previous newsletters?  Well they have been adopted and are finally in their forever home! They have been renamed, Wensley, Brie and Phili, all after cheese! They look like they have really landed on their little feet with their new owner Freddie who said, “I love having mice because they are fun and I love it when they crawl up my hands”. We think these three ladies are very lucky and it goes to show just what great pets mice can be!

Theft Act 1968 – Ownership

Did you know that cats are regarded as property in the UK? If you have suspicion that someone has stolen your cat, you will need to call the police, not the RSPCA and you will have to prove that the cat is your property. This can be difficult as some cats that live in cities and towns may visit many properties and different people daily. You will need to prove ownership of your cat; a microchip registration is not proof alone but will help towards confirming ownership. It’s always good to have your cat registered at a local vets and a record of its history over a period of time or cat insurance certificates.

I am worried that a cat near me may be a stray, what do I do?

Stray cats

Cats are avid explorers and sometimes they end up going into back gardens all over their community. Some are clever enough to look hungry and even take food from their neighbours and then wander back home again to have even more lovely treats! However many cats do get mistaken for strays so here is some advice on what to do if you are concerned a cat does not have an owner.

If you see a healthy, friendly cat that you think may be a stray, monitor it closely, make sure it is not sick or injured and contact your neighbours and other members of the community to see if the cat is owned. A neighbour may have a new cat, or someone new may have moved to the neighbourhood and their cat may be out exploring so please do not take it away from its location before exhausting all the options below.

Unfortunately, the National RSPCA doesn’t have the resources to collect healthy strays. If you would like advice please call our Branch on 0303 040 1565.

Cats are considered property in the UK, which means that a lost or stray cat belongs to its owner, and you need to do everything possible to return it to its rightful and original owner before you consider taking on the cat for yourself or try to rehome it elsewhere. You should do this for at least 7-10 days.

• Try placing a paper collar on the cat requesting the owner contact you. You can download paper cat collars from the National RSPCA here. Remember to always take precautions when approaching the cat and fixing the collar.
• We also recommend you visit Pets Located, an online resource that reunites owners with their pets. Social media can also be a really useful tool in helping to reunite lost pets with their owners. There are often local lost and found groups/pages for pets that you can post on.
• Putting up posters in your local area can also be effective, you can download and print a found poster here. 
• You can visit our website here and report a lost animal, or you can take a look at the lost animal section to see if you the cat has already been registered on there. Click here for lost animals..
• If none of these options work for you and you are unsuccessful in finding an owner, you can take the cat to your local vet who will be able to scan the cat for a microchip.

September to December is the breeding season for grey seals. Pups are born with a fluffy white coat and don’t enter the sea for the first two to three weeks.

Do not approach a seal or seal pup- Observe, don’t disturb.

Adult grey seals can weigh between 200 and 350 kilos. If under threat, they could knock over or crush anything, (even people) so do not approach or harass them. They can give a nasty bite, inflicting a wound that will need immediate medical treatment with antibiotics as they carry a lot of bacteria. 

Sometimes pups are left alone on the beach while their mothers take to the sea to feed.  If the mother is scared away by people surrounding her pup when she returns she is likely to abandon it, leaving it to starve to death.

What to do if you find a baby seal alone
If you find a seal pup that looks fit and healthy and shows no signs of distress, monitor it first from a safe distance for 24 hours.

Too many seal pups are taken into captivity because people mistakenly think they’ve been abandoned.

How to tell if a seal pup needs help
Baby seals can be separated from their mothers by storms and others may not feed properly for some reason and need help. An easy way to tell if they need help is:

• a healthy seal pup looks like a big, stuffed maggot without a neck
• an unhealthy seal pup looks thin (but not bony) and has a visible neck, like a dog.

If the mother does not return within 24 hours, or you think that the pup is sick or injured – please keep at a safe distance and contact the National RSPCA on 03001234999

Please remember seals are wild animals and you should always stay at least 10 metres away from them.

It has been a while since we have been able to run events and on our first open day, we realised just how much we missed it! The team got together to plan and create their displays, set up the stalls and marquee and made sure the day was well advertised. They even had a secret mission! Keep reading to find out what they got up to but first, let’s take a look at some of the lovely photos from the day.

Our AGM was also a success and it was lovely to finally see our Trustees and some of our members all together in one place!

We also had the privilege of presenting Priya, the winner of our Arty August competition (7-11 category) with her certificate and her prize. Priya won the public vote with her beautiful painting of her cat Bella.

Secret mission

During the midst of the pandemic, we received a lovely phone call from a very proud mum. Her daughter Matilda did something so amazing; we just couldn’t believe it! Matilda cut her very lovely and very long hair and donated it to The Princes Trust. Not only that, Matilda also raised around £700 and she donated it to our Branch to help animals in need! We really wanted to do something special to thank Matilda, so our Receptionist Jamie went on a secret mission! Jamie organised a surprise for Matilda to join us at the Branch to receive a certificate and some RSPCA goodies as a thank you. This mission had to be delayed due to COVID however, a few months later on our first open day; Jamie decided it was the perfect day to do this! Matilda had no idea she was to be the star of the day alongside Priya, and it was lovely to see her reaction when our CEO and Chair of Trustees gave her the certificate and her RSPCA goodies.

We were really pleased to be able to show you our new premises and all of the hard work we have been up to, helping animals in need in your local area. We were also really grateful for you all showing up and providing your support, it really meant a lot to us and it made the day very special. There will be more events coming in the future and we cannot wait to see you all again!

We have some charity places available for the Blickling Half Marathon! So why not join us?

It will be a lovely run so get on your training wheel and contact us today!

If you are interested or would like more information email us at woof@rspcanorwich.org 

Hello September.

This month the newsletter is packed full of tips from the team, advice on the law, some important seasonal advice, and a look at some of our adorable adoption stars! 

It has been a while since we have been able to run events for members of the public, however we have been very busy behind the scenes! With our recent move to Ashwellthorpe in Norfolk, we have decided to open our doors to our dedicated supporters for a fun filled day of activities with a chance to meet some of the hard working team at your local Branch.

Just turn up on the day or if you would like mores information, call us on 0303 040 1565. You can also email us at woof@rspcanorwich.org