Like rescues up and down the country, we are overwhelmed. We have far more cats and kittens needing a place than we have room for, and we sometimes have to turn away animals we would love to help. So when a national petition called on the government to tackle the cat overpopulation crisis, we signed it straight away.
The petition asks for a national strategy to expand affordable neutering, support overwhelmed rescues like ours, improve education on responsible ownership, and reduce irresponsible breeding and abandonment. It passed 10,000 signatures within days, which meant the government had to formally respond. It has now done so twice, and both answers have left us frustrated.
What the government said
The short version: there will be no national strategy. Defra's first response, in September, didn't really address what the petition asked for. It was so far off the mark that the Petitions Committee of MPs sent it back and asked for a proper answer.
The revised response, published on 30 October, is clearer, but only because it says no more plainly. The government:
- has no plans for a cat overpopulation strategy
- has no plans to give pet owners financial help, despite the increased cost of living
- says vet fees are a matter for private businesses
- points owners to charities such as Cats Protection and the RSPCA for help with neutering costs
There are some steps we welcome. The government will study the scale of cat breeding, and it plans to consult on licensing rescue and rehoming organisations. Better standards across the sector are a good thing.
Why we're frustrated
None of this helps a rescue that is full today. Studying breeding and consulting on licences will take years, while kittens are being born every week. Licensing may even add paperwork for small volunteer-run rescues like ours, with no extra support to go with it.
Most of all, the response hands the problem back to charities. It thanks animal welfare organisations for running pet food banks and subsidised neutering, and leaves it there. Those schemes are funded by donations from the public. Rescues are already carrying this crisis. We were hoping to hear how the government would share the load.
Neutering is the answer we all have
If the government won't lead on this, it's up to all of us. The single most effective thing any cat owner can do is get their cat neutered.
- Kittens can get pregnant from about four months old. Cats Protection, the RSPCA and other charities recommend neutering at around four months, before the first season.
- Cats will mate with their siblings, so keeping a litter together doesn't keep them safe.
- It's better for your cat. Neutered cats roam and fight less, and are less likely to catch diseases spread through fighting and mating.
- Every unplanned litter ends up somewhere. Many of the kittens that come through our doors are from owned or abandoned cats that were never neutered.
While you're at the vet, get your cat microchipped too. It's now a legal requirement for owned cats in England, and it's the best chance of a lost cat getting home rather than ending up in rescue.
Can't afford it? Help is available
Neutering usually costs somewhere between £50 and £100, and we know that's a lot when money is tight. Please don't let cost stop you though. If you're on benefits, a low income, a state pension or are a student, you may be able to get it heavily discounted.
- Cats Protection runs a reduced-cost neutering scheme through participating vets. In many areas eligible owners pay around £10 for neutering and microchipping.
- PDSA works with Cats Protection to offer low-cost neutering at its Pet Hospitals for owners on qualifying benefits.
- RSPCA branches offer neutering support and vouchers in many areas. Contact your local branch.
- Your own vet may offer payment plans if you ask.
- Us. If you're local to Crewe and the surrounding district and not sure where to start, get in touch via the contact form and we'll point you in the right direction.
Feeding a stray or a cat that isn't yours? These schemes can often help with those cats too.
We can't fix this crisis on our own, and neither can any other rescue. But every cat that's neutered is one fewer unplanned litter, and one less cat waiting for a space that isn't there.