The number of abandoned cats and kittens in the UK has soared by more than 30% this year, according to a leading animal protection charity, which describes the situation as a “growing crisis”.
Last year, Cats Protection rescued a total of 184,000 cats. This equates to approximately 500 fish per day. But the charity has launched an urgent appeal for donations as staff struggle with a 34% increase in abandonment cases in the first seven months of 2024.
“We understand that difficult times can lead to heartbreaking decisions, but abandoning a cat puts them at great risk,” said Cats Protection Cat Welfare. – Head of operations Mike Elliott said the organization had spent £50,000 on basic veterinary care in the first six months of this year. “Now the abandoned cats are hungry, cold and scared.”
The UK has long been regarded as a nation of pet lovers, but lifestyle changes caused by the pandemic have led to a dramatic increase in pet ownership, with more than 3 million households thought to own a pet. . Demand for puppies in particular skyrocketed during the lockdown.
But after a few years, that boom collapses, and animal welfare charities pick up the pieces as families struggle to care for their pets or can’t find the extra money to cover food, pet insurance, and vet costs. I’m having a hard time. Everything went up in price.
The number of cats becoming homeless is increasing as scrutiny grows over the cost of owning pets. The UK competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, is investigating the veterinary market, identifying areas of concern, including the possibility that pet owners are paying too much for treatments and medicines.
Cat rescue groups say it will take 39 days to rehome animals as Brits are now wary of getting new pets. “We urgently need help so we can continue to provide cats with the food, shelter and care they need to keep them safe,” Elliott said.
According to the charity’s annual report Cats and their Stats (Cats) 2024, cat ownership is actually declining in the UK, with the pet population falling from 11 million to 10.6 million in 2023. I am doing it. A recent survey by the charity found that one in three cat owners feel “significantly affected” by the current economic climate, and nearly one in five (18%) have vaccinated their cats. It was found that spending on vital veterinary services such as microchips and microchips has been cut.
The problem isn’t limited to cats. The RSPCA is appealing to the public to consider adopting rather than buying a pet as rescue centers are “swamped with animals” due to the cost of living crisis.
The average length of time dogs, cats and rabbits have to wait to be adopted has increased by almost a third over the past five years, from 31.7 days in 2019 to 41.4 days in 2023, new figures from the charity show. did.
As a result, many rehoming centers have gone bankrupt and are unable to accept new animals. As a result, the number of private boarding animals has soared, with costs reaching around £500,000 a month, the charity says.
Karen Coleman, head of animal logistics and welfare at the RSPCA, said: “We are currently facing an animal welfare crisis. Space in our rehoming centers is like gold dust. The longer an animal remains unadopted, the longer other animals will have to wait for space to become available at our rehoming center.”