Cats Protection faces ‘worst situation in memory’ because of cost of living crisis

The number of cats needing new homes in the UK has reached an historic high because of the cost of living crisis, a leading charity has warned.

Cats Protection officials said felines are also spending longer in their care and have made a fresh plea for anyone who can take on a new cat to come forward.

Across its 34 adoption centres, 2,582 cats were waiting for spaces in July, a 46% increase on the same point last year. Volunteer-run branches are also said to be reporting similar trends. The charity said each cat or kitten is now spending at least four days longer in its care compared to last year because of a decline in adoption interest.

Pressure

Peter Shergold, the group’s head of field operations, said: “This is the worst situation in organisational memory in terms of the pressure on our services to take in cats.

“A 46% increase in demand on our waiting lists is well above our historical average and looks likely to continue for the near future.

“The rise is directly linked to the cost of living crisis, such as not having the funds to afford the basics like cat food or cat litter, or a much more serious consequence, such as a loss of a job or having to move into rented accommodation where pets aren’t allowed.”

Worried owners

The charity has also revealed that 30% of owners who participated in the development of its CATS report, which is set to be released this autumn, are worried they won’t be able to afford bills or living costs because of price rises.

Nearly one in five (19%) of non-cat owners said they could not adopt a cat for financial reasons, even though they would like to.

Anyone who may be able to adopt a cat can visit www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat and enter their postcode into the search box. Practical advice on how to keep your pet is also available via the charity’s dedicated cost of living page.