Cat rescue centres across the UK are facing a severe shortage of space, leading to fears that cats and kittens could be left to die on the streets. Zoey Sheffield, who runs Cat Patrol in Mapperley, Nottingham, described her work as "relentless" and noted that her centre has already rehomed 500 cats in the past six months, double the amount from the previous year.
Sheffield attributes the increase to the cost of living, which she believes makes neutering unaffordable for people on low incomes. This can lead to unneutered domestic cats breeding with strays, increasing the stray population and potentially resulting in unwanted litters being abandoned.
Cat Patrol, which is part of a WhatsApp group of around 100 UK cat rescues, is receiving messages from centres nationwide that have no space. Sheffield's centre alone spends an estimated £5,000 to £7,000 a month on vet fees and relies on adoption fees, donations, and fundraisers to cover costs.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) stated that it cannot intervene in neutering costs charged by private businesses. However, Defra has published a Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats and notes that animal welfare organisations offer community neutering programmes.