Tough economic times and irresponsible owners have led to an all-time high in the number of abandoned and unwanted cats at Thanet RSPCA’s Woodchurch Animal Centre.

In one recent four day period, the centre took in four stray cats, each with a litter of kittens. One litter had been born in a treehouse, the others under bushes and garden sheds.

It meant the centre suddenly had 22 more mouths to feed and care for. The cattery is so full that some cats are housed in temporary, fold-up cages, while staff are taking others to care for them at home.

Centre manager Clive Martin has worked at animal centres for 20 years and said he has never seen the situation so bad. He called for a concerted community effort to deal with the problem.

He said: “We have seen an increase in the numbers of animals being given up for financial reasons, such as benefit cuts and job losses. The recession has been hard for people. We have also seen a rise in the number of people having to give up their animals because they cannot afford rent, and as a result are forced to downsize their homes.

“The real problem is a lack of responsibility on behalf of many cat owners. A failure to neuter their cats, whether it is because of financial constraints or just ignorance and apathy, has led to a massive rise in cat populations, especially on housing estates where large numbers of cats mix freely and breed.”

This week's Thanet Extra has a special feature on the centre.