Homes needed for abandoned cats (From Bucks Free Press)

Homes needed for abandoned cats

6:00pm Thursday 1st November 2007 in Search By Lara King

FORLORN felines across Bucks are making a plaintive plea for new homes in time for Christmas.

South Bucks RSPCA is in a critical condition after taking in more than 50 unwanted cats in the last three months. The service cannot accommodate any more abandoned animals until the current batch has been rehomed.

Joan Johnson, cat homing officer for South Bucks RSPCA, said: "We have never known anything like this. There is a national cat crisis, but nobody seems to know why it has happened."

The branch rehomed 28 cats in September alone and has taken in 185 cats since the start of the year, which already exceeds the total figure for all of 2006. However, there are still 40 unwanted pets desperately seeking new owners, and more arriving every week.

Mrs Johnson, from Dean Close in High Wycombe, said: "Some cats come to us as a result of relationship break-ups, or from people who are too busy to care for them, or because they've got older and their vet's bills have become too expensive. Too many people take on cats as pets without being prepared to take full responsibility and give them the love, care and attention they need."

The crisis deepened after the centre took in six unwanted pregnant cats. Last month, the mums-to-be produced 16 healthy kittens between them, and each one had to be cared for by volunteers until it was ready for adoption.

Mrs Johnson said: "We worked very hard to find homes for that lot, but the problem now is the next lot tapping their paws to come in. We have kittens due to be born throughout November, and they all need homes too.

"We tend not to home cats too near Christmas, because we want to bring home the message that a cat, like a dog, is for life. We want to rehome them now, so that they can be settled with their new families in time for Christmas."

The South Bucks branch of the RSPCA cares for all unwanted or abused cats, dogs, small animals and birds that have been found or rescued locally. Mrs Johnson said: "We are a team of volunteers rather than a geographical centre. The cats are cared for by a network of fosterers, dotted about from Chalfont to Wycombe."

But with so many melancholy moggies, the service is now short of everything from volunteers to cat food. They are particularly interested to hear from anyone who might be able to provide long-term or short-term foster care, or offer a permanent home. For more information about how to help, visit www.southbucksrspca.org.uk or call 0845 3707526.