A cat sanctuary has been overwhelmed with abandoned kittens – some suffering from dehydration after being left without water in soaring temperatures.

Ruth Punyer who runs Rolvenden Cat Rescue with her husband Allan has more than 100 cats and kittens in her care and her sanctuary is brimming with unwanted moggies.

She has run her shelter in Hastings Road for 17 years but has been taken aback by the recent influx of animals.

Mrs Punyer said: “This has to be the worst year yet for abandoned kittens as we have so many of them.”

Some of the kittens are so young that they have not been weaned and Mrs Punyer has to feed them from tiny bottles.

She said: “Abandoning cats borders on cruelty. People acquire them, decide they can’t look after them and lob them out.”

The rescue centre owner says the mother cats being brought in are “very friendly” and have clearly come from a home environment, rather than the wild.

As well as abandonment, one of the key reasons why Mrs Punyer has to re-home cats is that many landlords refuse to have them in rented accommodation.

Mrs Punyer is looking after around 50 adult cats and 60 kittens at her Rolvenden sanctuary and moggies are arriving on a daily basis. All the sanctuary’s cats are de-flead, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped before being offered to new owners.

Caring for the cats is a 24-hour job. “We are working from dawn to dusk to look after the cats,” said Mrs Punyer, “even after everything has been done there is always one who needs a cuddle.”

To enquire about the rescue cats and kittens in Mrs Punyer’s care call Rolvenden Cat Rescue on 01580 241632.