A STAGGERING 60 abandoned and unwanted kittens were handed into the RSPCA in Worcestershire in just eight weeks.
This is a new record rise of unwanted kittens for the charity, which has already taken in 99 kittens since the beginning of the year.
Claire Wood, RSPCA Volunteer, said: “As a charity, we’re seeing more and more pregnant female cats – barely more than a year old themselves – coming into our care, as well as litters of unwanted and abandoned kittens and unneutered male cats who are battered and bruised as a result of fighting and straying.”
The charity thinks the cause is the current cost of living crisis taking its toll on people’s finances, and pet owners struggling to afford routine vet appointments like neutering.
This leaves charities like the Mid Worcestershire branch in Kempsey struggling to cope with the increase in abandoned and relinquished animals.
Aspen, Francis, Spruce, Rowan and Juniper, were found abandoned in a garden with their mother, Rochelle, at roughly six weeks old.
It took volunteers at the Worcester branch several days to try and trap the family and bring them to safety.
“Along with other cat and vet organisations, we would strongly encourage people to get their cats neutered from four months old to protect them from certain diseases, prevent unexpected and costly litters of kittens and help ease the pressure on animal welfare charities like ourselves,” Claire added.
In comparison to previous years, the charity took 104 kittens in 2021, and 77 kittens in 2020.
The news comes during the charity’s ‘RSPCA’s Annual Adoptober Rehoming Drive’, which is an October event that promotes the adoption of many animals like Rochelle and her kittens.
Visit rspca-worcester.org/ to find out how to adopt an animal.
