Cat rescue ‘struggling to cope’ with amount of feral cats in West Midlands issues plea to government
The rescue currently has around 80 cats at its centre.
A cat rescue has called for government support saying it is “struggling to cope” with the amount of feral cats in the region.
Animal House Rescue was called to an ‘out of control cat colony’ which took over a Netherton neighbourhood on Samuel Lewis Way, earlier this month.
Residents called for action to be taken before three rescue charities stepped in.
Animal House Rescue is a charity responsible for the rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming unwanted, abused, and neglected cats across the West Midlands. It also relies on a network of private foster homes.
Lin Reeves, from the charity, said: “We were contacted about a large colony of feral cats and said we would try and help.
“We got there and there were around over 30 cats so we started trapping.
“We found out that Stour Valley Cat Rescue had been out the day before us and removed three kittens and the RSCPA came out too.
“Between us we managed to get around 28 cats from that tiny area alone.
“The colonies now have exploded, we’ve always had feral cats and too many in the 30 years I have worked here but the problem has got worse.”
The rescue currently has around 80 cats at its centre and is struggling to cope with the amount of feral cats in the area.
Lin also shared the reason for the influx in colonies, saying: “During Covid people started breeding cats as it was easy money but now they can’t rehome them.
“The people who bred the cats also did not care where they went to so they went to irresponsible people who did not neuter.
“Because rescues are now full across the country the unwanted owned cats end up dumped on the streets too. They are often unneutered so are left to fall pregnant on the streets and the kittens are then born on the streets.
“They are wild. A feral cat is virtually a wild animal and is like a fox pinching food but they don’t want to be touched by humans. They will bite.”
Lin also called for government action saying: “We need government support for neutering as it is very expensive.
“When we neuter feral cats the revenue does not come back to the rescue.
“Usually if we relocate ferals we are very lucky, so government funding is needed - especially when there’s so many of them.
“We don’t want a darker alternative to be considered to get rid of these cats, so funding is needed.”
For more information about the rescue visit their website.
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