THERE was a 166% increase in searches for cats on the RSPCA’s FindAPet website following the first year of the pandemic (March 2020 number 114,316 compared to Jan 2021 number 304,300.) 

Last year the charity rehomed 17,868 cats which is 53 a day or two cats rehomed every hour. In Essex there were 468 cats rehomed in 2020.

Centres and branches are also caring for more cats than any pet with nearly 3,000 moggies coming into the RSPCA’s care from the start of the year (Jan 1- 31 Aug).

This month marks Adoptober, when the RSPCA shines a light on the animals in its care looking for homes, and with more cats coming into the charity’s care than any other pet this means there are plenty of feline friends looking to be adopted.

Sam Gaines, head of the RSPCA’s companion animals team, said: “It’s great to see so many people are interested in adopting cats from the RSPCA. The lockdown has really shone a light on the close bonds we have with our pets and for many people, their pets have become a real source of comfort during these challenging times. 

“We’ve seen a huge surge in pet ownership during the past year or so and whilst it’s positive that so many people want to take on a pet we are keen to highlight the importance of doing your research to ensure you’ve got the time, patience and money to care for that animal for the rest of their life. 

“Our centres and branches are seeing lots of cats coming into their care at the moment. This could be due to the end of the kitten season when most cats are born or more worryingly, it could be as a result of people buying cats on impulse earlier in the year who are now struggling to cope with them. 

“However, we’d urge anyone who has thoroughly done their research and is keen to take on a rescue cat to consider adopting from the RSPCA.”