Cat owners face heart breaking decisions about being able to feed their pets as the cost of living crisis hits home, a survey by the UK’s leading cat charity has found.
Cats Protection has issued an urgent appeal for volunteer fosterers in areas of the south and east of England as it braces for an unprecedented number of cats to be given up for adoption this winter.
Two-thirds (65 per cent) of owners said they are worried that people will be unable to feed their cats in coming months, according to a national survey of 2,000 cat owners, conducted for the charity.
Nearly a third of owners (29 per cent) admitted they are struggling with the finances needed to support their cat. While one in eight owners (13 per cent) said they have or would cut down on their cat’s food to make cost savings. Two-thirds (65 per cent) are worried that people will not be able to feed their cats this winter, the survey showed.
The findings come at a perilous time for Cats Protection, which helps around 166,000 cats and kittens each year. The charity has already seen the number of cats on its waiting lists grow by 20 per cent compared to this time last year, with fewer people adopting cats.
In response to the crisis, the charity has launched its ‘Feels like home’ campaign which appeals for cat lovers to either become fosterers for the charity or support the charity with a donation. All funds raised will help provide temporary homes for cats this winter.
Peter Shergold, Cats Protection’s Head of Field Operations, said: “No one wants to have to give up a beloved pet, but the cost-of-living crisis is having a disastrous effect on cats and their owners.
“Many are facing extreme choices such as rationing food or giving up their much-loved cat entirely. This winter could see an unprecedented number of cats and kittens being given up to charities or worse still, abandoned in the cold and left to fend for themselves.
“We do what we can to help people hold onto their pets, but we urgently need an army of cat fosterers to help us ensure no cat is without a place that feels like home this winter.
“No special equipment is needed to be a volunteer fosterer except a spare room in your house or outdoor space to house a cat pen. Cats Protection will provide the cat pen and all the other support needed including cat food, litter, toys and so on.
“We are particularly keen to hear from people in Essex, Kent and Suffolk where we have a pressing need for volunteer fosterers.”
The charity’s facilities in Kent are already taking the strain as an increasing number of people in the region struggle to care for their cats.
Haley Croney, Welfare Team Leader at Cats Protection’s Swale Branch in Kent, said: “We are very busy and in desperate need of fosterers. We are currently advertising for new foster carers but haven’t had any interest shown.
“Our needs are quite desperate now. We are full and have 14 cats on our waiting list, but the winter combined with financial uncertainty for so many people could make the situation a lot worse.
“There are lots of reasons why people relinquish their cats but the cost of living is a huge issue for people and I’m sure it’s a reason for many. That’s why this campaign is so important. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that it produces some very needed new fosterers.”
To become a Cats Protection fosterer or donate to Cats Protection’s “Feels Like Home” campaign, please visit www.cats.org.uk/feels-like-home
The charity’s website advice page contains helpful money management tips, including how to obtain access to cat food banks and practical ways to reduce vet bills.
Cats Protection can also assist owners on limited incomes with the cost of neutering their pet cat. Please visit www.cats.org.uk/cost-of-living for more details.
