Just over one in four households own a cat, and 92% of owners consider their cat part of their family. Yet up and down the country, cat rescue and rehoming charities are at capacity. In some areas, waiting lists for cats to come into care far exceed the number of cats adopted. 

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The scale of the problem

Over 120,000 cats are thought to be living in rescue care awaiting adoption across the country. Along with nearly a quarter of a million cats living rough on our streets, it’s clear that there are too many unwanted cats in the UK. 

At Cats Protection, the UK’s leading cat charity, around 30,000 cats are rehomed each year. Length of stay varies depending on the season and which part of the country you are in, but on average, it is about 35 days. During kitten season, when there are added pressures on intake, length of stay often increases. 

Some cats are harder to home than others

Older cats, shy cats, or cats with medical needs can languish in rescue care for long periods of time. You may be surprised to learn that black cats can take 13% longer to rehome than other coat colours. In the US, around 41% of cats entering shelters are euthanised. With over three million cats entering rescue care there each year, there are just not enough adopters available, nor the space to house cats long-term in a way that can adequately meet their needs. For the welfare of the cat, euthanasia versus a long stay in a frightening, exhausting shelter can be the only kind option. 

In the UK, we don’t see quite such a high number of unwanted cats

That’s true even when accounting for scale, and we’re fortunate to have a strong history of philanthropic care when it comes to animals in need. Most rescue organisations here have a ‘no-kill’ policy. And euthanise only on the advice of a vet on medical grounds, or when mental suffering can’t be alleviated. But this doesn’t mean unwanted cats in the UK don’t suffer. In fact, it could be argued that long-stay cats without access to enough space or freedom, perhaps feeling stressed by overcrowding in a shelter or at risk of infectious disease from that environment, can suffer greatly. Rescues have needed to become more sophisticated and strategic. For example by moving certain cats to fosterers; advertising further afield for homes; and getting creative in their marketing to ensure cats aren’t feeling the negative effects of a long stay in rescue care.

Why do cats end up needing to be rehomed?

Cats arrive in rescue care for a variety of reasons. About 60% have been surrendered by their owners. The rest are stray cats for whom no owner has been located. Unwanted kittens make up a large proportion of the surrendered cat population. The rest of the surrendered cat population includes cats given up because:

  • Their owner can no longer afford to keep them.
  • The owner has cited ‘behavioural reasons’ (e.g., not getting on with other pets or children, scratching furniture). 
  • The owner has become overwhelmed by too many cats.
  • There have been problems with housing (e.g., emigration or a move to rented accommodation).
  • There has been a change in family circumstances (e.g., a new baby or divorce).
  • The owner has health issues (e.g., illness, hospital stays, deaths, or allergies). 

How can we reduce the numbers of unwanted cats?

Because unwanted kittens account for a large number of the cats in rescue care, controlled breeding is going to be a vitally important aspect of managing the shelter cat population. This means the timely neutering of cats before they are reproductively active, at or before four months of age. By reducing unplanned litters, we’ll start to reduce that surplus of cats needing homes. 

Looking at some of the relinquishment reasons listed, it’s clear that owner education is also crucial. In particular, making sure that prospective new owners are getting the right information at the right time, so that they know what to expect from their relationship with their cat. Choosing the right cat for your circumstances is so important. Otherwise you could find yourself dealing with an unhappy, stressed cat, displaying a variety of unwelcome behaviours in the home. Many new owners do not take the time to learn about the needs of their pet fully prior to obtaining them, in order to understand whether they have the resources, finances and knowledge to adequately care for them. According to the PDSA PAW Report, 33% of veterinary professionals chose ‘lack of adequate pre-purchase education regarding suitable pet choice’ as one of their top welfare issues. 

Fewer owners are choosing to adopt

We’ve seen a cost-of-living crisis pushing up the numbers of unwanted cats in the UK in recent years, with added pressures on the charity sector. Between January and May 2023, Cats Protection found that relinquishment of cats for financial reasons was up 48% compared to the same period in 2022. And waiting lists for people looking to relinquish their cats have been at capacity for many centres throughout 2023.

Sadly, at the same time we’re also seeing fewer owners choosing to acquire a cat from a rescue organisation, with an increasing trend towards buying a cat instead. In 2023, 32% of cats were bought, compared to 24% being adopted from a UK rehoming charity. Given that cat acquisition has remained consistent, the move away from adoption suggests that those looking to obtain a cat just don’t see adoption as the best option for them. The question then is, why is that the case?

Perhaps the rescue sector doesn’t offer the types of cats that people want

According to Cats Protection’s CATS Report 2023, there has been a huge jump in popularity of pedigree cats. Pedigree cats now account for 42% of cats obtained in the last 12 months; whereas five years ago this number sat at around 17%. If this trend continues, within the next 10-15 years we’ll start to see more pedigree cats than moggies within the UK cat population. 

Currently, we’re not seeing pedigree cats in our shelters in great numbers, possibly because of their resale value within the online sales marketplace. But over time, will this change? Pedigree cats can be harder to look after. Their gene pool is smaller, and they are more likely to suffer from inherited disease. For this reason, it is usually more expensive to insure a pedigree cat. Some pedigree cats also have additional husbandry needs such as daily grooming. And many are kept indoors to reduce the risk of theft, which can create boredom and it’s accompanying unwanted behaviours. Are owners doing enough research into their pedigree cat before purchase? Or are we likely to see more pedigree cats in rescue care once the market reaches saturation point?

Is it too hard to adopt?

Another potential reason why owners may not choose adoption is that the adoption process itself might be perceived as too arduous. In some cases, perhaps this perception has been valid. Prospective adopters may have been faced with fussy home visits looking for very selected circumstances, with checklists to complete, forms to fill out and delays to bringing your chosen cat home. There is a balance to be made in providing enough information to ensure the cat won’t be returned, versus an impatient consumer who can purchase and collect a cat within hours online.

Because of this, most charities have replaced the home visit with a user-friendly online form or face-to-face conversation. But there is more work to be done to market the ‘used cat’ as a more desirable alternative to a purchased cat. The rescue sector will need to work hard to promote the many positives of adoption, and hope that these override the desire to buy a cat instead. 

“Adopt, don’t shop”

Just as a quick detour, here are some of the reasons why it’s better to adopt versus shop:

  • Adopting a cat or kitten from a rescue organisation means you will be matched with a pet that will be the best fit for you and your family. 
  • Rescue organisations have a wealth of information to share with you about cat ownership, and following adoption, many charities also provide support to troubleshoot any concerns while your cat is settling in with you. 
  • Adopting a cat versus buying makes good financial sense. For a nominal adoption fee, your cat will have been health checked, neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and treated for fleas and worms. 
  • Many cat rescue charities also include temporary pet insurance cover, no matter the cat’s age or previous medical history. 
  • You’ll be doing your bit to reduce the number of unwanted cats, and in adopting one cat, will free up space for another cat to be helped. 

If you would like to adopt a cat, here are a few of the major rehoming charities to contact:

You could also check this directory to find which cat rescue organisation is situated nearest to you.

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