7 Aug 2026
Allister Webb
Job Title
A prominent welfare charity has pleaded for cat owners to ensure their pets are neutered amid what it says are unprecedented numbers of kittens entering its care.
Blue Cross officials believe wider cost of living pressures may be persuading some pet owners to avoid veterinary fees by not having the procedure done at all.
The group has spoken out ahead of International Cat Day tomorrow (8 August), amid its fears the problem could get even worse during the traditional peak summer period.
Hertfordshire centre manager Kellie Brooks said: “I have worked in pet rescue for more than 20 years and I have never seen kittens coming in for help on a scale like this.
“Almost every week we are being brought boxes and carrier bags filled with kittens that have been discovered by members of the public.
“Some are incredibly young and need round-the-clock care to give them the best chance of survival.
“This is in addition to the many unplanned and unwanted litters being brought in as well as pregnant cats.”
The charity said a total of 454 kittens aged below six months old had entered its rescue centres up to the end of June, around 15% more than in 2025.
Although a new policy paper issued by the BVA and BSAVA earlier this year made no significant changes to neutering advice for cats, officials are also concerned that planned breeding for kitten sales could also be adding to the problem if there is insufficient buying demand.
That issue was also highlighted by Cats Protection’s most recent Cats and Their Stats report, published last autumn, which estimated the proportion of unneutered cats in the UK had risen to 15% – an estimated 1.5 million animals in total.
The trend was linked to an increase in the proportion of younger, more affluent, owners of pedigree types who wanted to breed from them.