PEOPLE not desexing their cats and then surrendering or dumping the unwanted offspring has led to Blossoms Rescue being inundated with homeless cats and kittens.
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At one point during the Christmas period there were more than 80 cats and kittens being looked after at the rescue charity, which was still over capacity with about 60 animals on Monday.
To help the charity care for the animals it is seeking donations of baby blankets, Felix brand cat food, Breeder’s Choice kitty litter and monetary donations to help with vet bills.
Blossoms Rescue owner Laura Ferguson said they were re-homing animals but more kept being surrendered, found dumped or stray.
“We’ve been at capacity for a fair while now, months and months, kitten season won’t end” Miss Ferguson said.
“At one time [over Christmas] we had 83, it was beyond capacity, it was mammoth.
“We’re having to say no to so many, we don’t have the quarantine for sick ones.
“Last year our kitten season was 33, we’ve gone up by 50 in a season.”
Since starting the service four years ago, more than 750 cats and kittens have been rescued, with some in need of urgent treatment.
“We had a kitten dumped in a shoe box at Cook Park at two weeks of age,” Miss Ferguson said.
He was named Cookie and has been pre-adopted while he gains weight to be desexed.
“We had a 12 month old mum dumped on the side of the road with five kittens in a box taped up. They were a little bit sick as well,” Miss Ferguson said.
The mother and four of the kittens have found homes but the smallest kitten was at the vets on Friday receiving a full blood transfusion.
Miss Ferguson said one of the biggest issues was people leaving un-desexed cats behind when they moved house.
“People move out and leave their cat behind un-desexed and she gets pregnant,” she said.
“People just aren’t desexing their cats.”
On another occasion 10 cats were trapped near the Victoria Hotel and all were pregnant so it wasn’t long before that 10 became 30.
Although it is over capacity, Miss Ferguson urged people to contact them about homeless cats and kittens.
Donations can be dropped-off at 192 March Street and Blossoms Rescue can be contacted on 0432 085 533 or via Facebook.