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Battersea centre's plea after fall in rehomed cats
17.08.09
There has been a drop in the number of cats being rehomed from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home this year, leaving facilities for felines almost full, the centre said today.
The 9% drop in cats being given a new home compared to this time last year has taken the animal centre by surprise, and is a marked contrast to the 20% increase in the number of dogs being rehomed this year.
The fall comes as Battersea attempts to cope with the summer influx of kittens, and at the London site 143 of the 145 cat pens are now in use, with a further 174 cats waiting to come in.
Battersea is urging would-be pet owners to consider the centre when looking for a new cat.
Ros Davies, cat rehomer at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, said there was a huge range of cats and kittens looking for new homes at the moment, and urged anyone considering buying a new cat to get in touch.
"Summer is traditionally a busy time of the year for us because the warm weather usually means there are more kittens brought in.
"But this summer's 9% drop in rehoming figures has taken us all by surprise.
"People might think of Battersea as more of a home for dogs than cats, but cats are just as important and need loving new homes, too.
"At the moment the cattery is approaching full capacity and we are being forced to add people to the waiting list at the home with a cat," she said.
Only 1,174 cats have been rehomed by Battersea this year, compared to 1,290 cats by July in 2008.
Reader views (1)
I was very lucky to have been given the opportunity to re-home a cat from Battersea three years ago.
Lily was a 12 week old stray-she and her brother had been found in a dustbin -her brother found a home quite quickly but Lily was poorly with cat flu and she also was diagnosed with Feline aids. I had just lost my dear cat of 14 years -Phoebe - and felt i would like to offer a stray a home. All the staff were really helpful in "pairing" us up. Lily is an abolsolute joy -I am very priviliged to have her in my life.
- Sue Reynolds, Pimlico london sw1 v 4bx
