A woman who runs a cat rescue centre in Cardiff has called for owners to have their pets sterilised before spring arrives.
Anna Mason runs Anna’s Rescue Centre in Rumney, which takes in hundreds of abandoned or unwanted pets each year.
She says she will always do what she can to support cats needing shelter. She added she would not be able to meet demand if the number of rescue cats keeps rising, especially as the birth rate tends to go up between March and September.
Ms Mason’s centre rescued and re-housed more than 500 cats last year, but as her profile rises, she says getting pets sterilised early is important to avoid unwanted pregnancies, which pet owners won’t be able to cope with.
“Rescue awareness is so important – if pet owners don’t neuter their animals, we’ll be absolutely overrun with too many cats. If you have an animal, particularly a cat, you must get it neutered before it’s around six months old,” Ms Mason says.
“We need to make sure people can afford this, and if they do come into problems financially, there are centres out there in Cardiff, and we are here to help.”
RSPCA Cymru says the population of cats across the UK has reached a “crisis point”, and sterilising pets is a good way to ensure the population does not get further out of control. In a statement, the charity says: “Animal welfare establishments or sanctuaries are often invaluable resources for improving animal welfare; undertaking a hugely important function. Our centres are full and we’re left to pay expensive private boarding fees.”
The cost of having a cat neutered can vary depending on the cat and the veterinary practice in question, but often costs around £60. Noelle Davies, a vet in Cardiff, says it is important that people are not put off by the cost, and ask for the help they need.
“With cats, a lot of people don’t realise how young they can be when they get pregnant. If they have litter mates, the risk of them getting pregnant is high. Often we find the biggest part of our job is educating people about their cats. The best option is to neuter all cats, whether they are indoors or outdoors.”
