OVER one hundred cats were rescued by an animal welfare charity last year.

RSPCA Cymru rescued and rehomed more cats than any other animal in 2018 - but needs to find more FUR-ever homes for cat companions as the month-long Adoptober rehoming drive continues.

More than 1,300 cats were rehomed in 2018 - forming the bulk of more than 2,000 animals.

That means the RSPCA - over the year - rehomed more than one cat in Wales every seven hours, underlining the vast efforts undertaken to find new homes for cats who have been subjected to cruelty or neglect.

In Wrexham, 68 cats were rescued compared to 124 in Flintshire. Flintshire was in the top five highest county's for cats rescued.

RSPCA cat welfare expert Alice Potter said: “Sadly we do know that cats are an extremely misunderstood pet and can often find themselves the victims of poor care.

“Our inspectorate is getting calls every day from worried members of the public reporting cruelty to these animals - and, on average, in Wales alone our officers are rescuing more than four cats per day.”

RSPCA Cymru believe neutering will play a key role in reducing Wales' overpopulation of cats, and thus ensuring fewer animals need to be rescued from difficult situations by RSPCA officers, or come into the charity's care needing a new home.

The animal welfare charity has teamed up with Cats Protection to run a cat neutering scheme across Wales, where eligible owners - including those on state benefit, in receipt of low household income, or those who are a full-time student or pensioner - can get their pet cat neutered and microchipped for only £5.

Coralie Farren, RSPCA regional operations manager for Wales, added: "2018 was - yet again - such a busy year for our animal centres and branches; finding loving new homes for cats that too often were removed from situations of neglect, danger or inappropriate care.

“The overpopulation of cats in Wales - however - could be helped drastically by raising the rates of neutering, which consequently will lead to fewer unwanted animals coming into our centres and branches.

“We urge people to get their kittens neutered at around four months of age - rather than six months - to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy in cats. Many schemes can offer financial support - including RSPCA Cymru’s partnership with Cats Protection, where eligible owners can protect their cats for just a fiver.”

The RSPCA and branches continue to search for the purr-fect new homes for cats in their care, as the influx of feline friends continues.

Cats in the care of the RSPCA include Sir Dai James, based at the RSPCA Bryn-Y-Maen Animal Centre at Upper Colwyn Bay. He's a four-year-old domestic shorthair crossbreed, who is bursting with life and now seeks a second chance of forever home happiness.

This month the RSPCA launched a campaign for ‘Adoptober’ and is dedicating the month of October to raising awareness of its vital work finding homes for animals most in need. This week (14-20 October) is dedicated to cats.

More information can be found online.