Shropshire in cat crisis as pets abandoned

The situation is so bad that neither of Shropshire's two centres are able to take in any more felines.

There are 88 cats and kittens at Gonsal Farm Animal Centre near Shrewsbury and the main Shropshire branch in Telford looking for new homes, with a further 29 on the waiting list.

The current crisis is due to a number of factors including owners no longer being able to afford to keep them, or not being able to afford vets' bills. Also, many cats are falling pregnant and having large numbers of kittens because owners have failed to get them neutered.

Last year Gonsal Farm had taken in 235 cats by July. This year the figure is 198. The reduction is due to it taking longer to find new homes for cats currently in their care.

The branch is full to capacity and once a cat is rehomed its space is immediately filled with another which has been waiting to come in.

The Telford centre currently has 21 adult cats along with some 17 kittens. But they also have 14 cats and 15 kittens on their waiting list.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said: "RSPCA volunteers and staff at our centres and branches say the pressure facing them is escalating and they are calling on the public to help by offering some of these desperate cats a new home."

Peter Bolton, animal operations manager for RSPCA's Midlands and north region, said: "The RSPCA is struggling on all fronts with this cat crisis. We have more cats than ever who have been cruelly treated and our centres across the region are just full with cats and kittens needing new homes.

"We are dealing with a cat crisis and it is getting worse.