A cat rescue centre is appealing for help after hitting “an absolute brick wall” with its number of moggies following the arrival of six “Halloween miracles”.

The manager of Wisteria Cat Rescue in Rochester said the charity is “up to our knees” with rescues and the situation has just got even worse.

Billy Devitt said the arrival of six kittens at the centre recently has been “the final blow” after years of battling the growing numbers of cats being abandoned at the rescue.

Describing the all-black feline arrivals as his “Halloween Miracles”, he said: “I’m not quite sure how much more we can honestly take.

“We are up to our knees with rescues. We’re trying, really trying. We are over our limit of what we can help and sadly this is the final blow.”

He explained: “Six six-month old kittens were dropped to the rescue. Not by any appointment, they just turned up.”

Billy, who first opened his home to abandoned cats during the first lockdown in March 2020, said he wanted to turn them away but his heart would not let him.

“Apparently they turned up in a shed last night,” he said. “I don’t quite believe that, but I’m not going to stand and argue when six little lives are running around in a car.”

Having helped more than five thousand cats in less than five years, Billy thinks it is highly likely these cats could not be sold due to their colour as black cats are notoriously hard to sell.

Billy, who helps the cats in his own home, added: “I’m not sure how much more I can physically take on a personal level. Your home is somewhere you wind down, your haven and your safe place.

“Through my own choice, I have opened mine to cats, I help so many cases but I realise I can’t help them all.”

Billy is pleading with people to take their cats to the correct place if they want to rehome them as he has a waiting list and simply cannot take any more.

In 2022, Billy was already struggling as numbers reached record levels and at one point he had 140 cats. He blamed the increase on the cost of living crisis and he said things have not got any better.

Wisteria Cat Rescue, which survives purely on public donations, now has 180 cats as Billy said owners cannot afford to get their cats neutered so turn to him for help.

“Wisteria runs constantly on 99% full, that includes my foster homes. We don’t have bags of catteries laying empty. We take the most severe first and work from there,” he added.

“I must plead, please remember that my house is our home, it’s where sanctuary animals live.

“I get that sometimes people need to give up their animals, but you need to place them correctly.

“We have a waiting list for a reason. Not because I don’t care, because anyone who know me knows that is definitely not the case. I have a waiting list because it has to be the right space for the cat.

“I’m shattered of begging people to neuter, I’m sick to death of it to be frank.”

Anyone who would like to make a donation or adopt a cat is asked to contact the rescue at info@wisteriacatrescue.org or visit wisteriacatrescue.org.

Billy has found homes for his new arrivals but is still desperate for extra help as he admits he spends £9,000 a month on the cats in his care.