CAT lover Betty Jones is the purr-fect foster mum.

The Leigh pensioner, who has six felines of her own, is one of an army of carers who looks after the area's abandoned, sick and ferrel pusses, until they are re-homed.

Treasurer of Atherton, Wigan Cats Protection she is a member of the 15-strong fosterering legion working with the charity.

And animals who find sanctuary at her Rosedale Drive haven have the luxury of radio and TV to keep them company.

Betty is one of the cherished volunteers for the national charity which is celebrating Cats Protection Week starting tomorrow.

And this year's theme is Tough and Tender.

Tough refers to the get tough care standards which encourage responsible pet ownership - including microchipping, neutering and vaccinating.

Tender is the caring side of what the charity does, rehousing and helping the nation's thousands of unwanted cats.

Betty, now 70 and a member for 12 years, said: "We want to get across to the public the importance of neutering shecats.

"People never learn. Many think they are like dogs coming into season only twice a year, but cats come into season every three weeks.

"The ferrel colonies urgently need to be dealt with. I have two kittens picked up from the Chanters industrial estate in Atherton, but there are still two more out there that need to be captured.

"We need to stop the adults reproducing and that's half the battle.

"We had a free campaign in May, but after completing the paperwork 11 families did not turn up to have their pet neutered, and that's silly."

Betty, who keeps the ferrels in a small front room at her home, also has isolation sheds in her garden.

And she keeps the radio and tv on for her charges so that they adapt to human noise around them.

The unique charity says tough cat care relies on a three point programme comprising neutering, microchipping and vaccinating.

And every cat coming through a CP shelter automatically goes through all three.

The result is a guarantee to prospective owners of what the charity terms a 'quality" cat.

Neutering is a priority to reduce the vast number of unwanted animals and microchipping ensures that cats that stray can be reunited with their owners.

Vaccination is also essential to safeguard against the common diseases to which cats are prone - flu, feline enteritis and viral leukaemia.

Tough also refers to a strict set of cat care guidelines set out by the charity on matters of hygiene, feeding, accommodation and health - the line toed by every one of Cat Protection's voluntary foster homes.

Tender describes the organisation's no kill policy. If for some reason a cat does not find a home, it stays in care until it does. Euthanasia is not an issue - except in the case of sickness on the advice of a vet.

Tender is also the tale of the CP national helpline team that takes calls every day from the public on problems ranging from lost cats to advice on cat welfare.

Members' duties range all the way from dealing with public enquiries on the phone to feeding, cleaning, stroking, rescuing and rehoming cats.

That entails sometimes having to shimmy up drainpipes to bring animals down from roofs, wading into rivers to fish out bags full of kittens that have been cruelly thrown in, and shuttling back and forth to the vet or to do home checks.

In a normal day of cat activity, some members can cover hundreds of miles. And if that weren't enough, they still find time to organise fund raising events such as fetes, boot sales, open days and carnivals.

Last weekend the Atherton, Wigan group raised £360 from a collection at Golborne Asda, and this weekend members will be rattling collection boxes in Leigh town centre.

The group is also searching for new volunteers and foster families.

Area co-ordinator Anita Lawson said last year the group rehomed 550 cats and it helps around 1,000 animals a year.

She said: "We have 15 good carers, but lots more would be welcome.

"We need committed people who realise what they are taking on, cat lovers who willing to feed, clean and care for the strays like their own pets."

Anyone who thinks they're up to it can contact the local group on 888693.