Hull Animal Welfare Trust (HAWT), based in South Cave, is experiencing an unprecedented increase in kittens and cats needing rehoming. Recently, staff discovered 30 felines in a single home in Hull. Sue Sewell of HAWT stated, "It's the worst I've ever known it. We're inundated." She emphasized the importance of pet owners ensuring their animals are neutered.
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In response to the crisis, the charity has acquired a pet ambulance, allowing teams to visit areas with high cat populations to perform neutering procedures at a reduced cost. Currently, the shelter is home to 24 kittens and 10 adult cats. Although several kittens were rehomed last weekend, the influx of cats shows no signs of slowing.
Sewell noted that there are colonies of feral cats proliferating as they are increasingly called to homes with multiple felines—sometimes between 15 to 30 cats in a single property, leading to inbreeding issues. In the location where the 30 cats were found, 15 have already been taken into HAWT's care, with the remainder expected to be surrendered as space allows.
While acknowledging the community's generosity, Sewell highlighted the urgent need for cat food to support the growing number of rescues. Research from Cats Protection indicates a decrease in the percentage of cats being neutered, from 88% in 2020 to 82% in the past year, leaving approximately 1.5 million unneutered cats in the UK. Common reasons for this include owners wishing to breed or keeping cats indoors.