Is neutering a taboo word, asks overrun cat rescue

A small cat rescue charity said although it is "full to capacity" with kittens, it cannot give up on them and will continue to find them foster homes.

Daphne Wilson has run Peterborough Cat Rescue for almost 50 years and said despite pleas for people to neuter cats and kittens, the situation was getting worse.

Her fosterers are currently looking after about 40 kittens, many born outdoors, which have had to be trapped or rescued with their mothers by volunteers.

"Why is our message the same every year but nothing changes?" she said. "Still people will not listen and neutering seems a taboo word."

Wilson said one day last week volunteers had spent 12 hours trapping cats and their kittens in the Peterborough area.

But that was not unusual.

Writing on Facebook, she said: "At the present time we are full to capacity and we are struggling under the weight of it being kitten season, as people are still not neutering their cats and we simply cannot cope with this sad situation."

Wilson's team finds groups of adults and kittens regularly, as well as "adult battered tom cats with injuries".

"I hate to say, [but] it is all preventable if owners would just neuter their beloved kittens at four months before breeding starts."

The oldest cat at the rescue who recently had a litter was about 10 years old, but the youngest pregnant cat they currently have is only about eight months.

Wilson said despite being "full", her charity could not leave cats and their numerous kittens outside and alone.

"We shuffle around, we double up, we make it work," she said.

"It's dreadful, it's absolutely dire, but until there is a change in the law - and a change that can be policed - I don't see this getting any better."

It is compulsory to microchip pet cats in the UK, but it is not compulsory to neuter them.

Do you have a story suggestion for Peterborough? Contact us below.

Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.