A 'cat crisis' has hit Cornwall as the RSPCA centre reports it is full of felines and it is struggling to find them homes.

The RSPCA’s Cornwall Branch is concerns about the number of unwanted cats coming into the centre as the facility is put under increasing pressure.

The centre’s deputy manager Toni Gray described the situation as a cat crisis, with more cats coming in, but fewer finding new homes.

She said: “We’ve reached the stage now where we don’t have any more room for cats. We’ve got 55 in at the moment, but there are more on the waiting list to come in.

“This has coincided with a significant downturn in the number of people who are rehoming cats. A lot of people have seen a change in personal circumstances, especially given the recent economic climate.

“Some people have been forced to move away, or move into rental property where they aren’t allowed to have pets.

“There has been a huge impact on us, as we struggle to cope with the numbers of cats left looking for new homes. The danger now is that even when an RSPCA inspector comes to us with a litter of dumped kittens, or an elderly cat left injured and abandoned, we won’t have any room for them.”

A recent report found that 85% of litters are unplanned and Toni said the Cornwall Branch had already offered free neutering, with 385 cats spayed last year and more discounted neutering planned this year.

She added: “There will be a lot of cats that are pregnant at this time of year, and so we’re expecting even more litters of kittens to be abandoned or handed over, even though we just don’t have the room for them.

“What we really need is for people to offer some of our current cats new homes. These animals are so deserving of a second chance and it can be a hugely rewarding experience for everyone involved.”

More information about how to rehome a cat from the RSPCA Cornwall Branch are available on their website www.rspcacornwall.org.uk or by calling them on 01637 881455 between 9am and 4pm Monday to Sunday, apart from Wednesdays when the branch is closed to the public.