Why Do Cats End Up in Animal Shelters

The UK is clearly a nation of pet lovers. More than 60% of homes in the UK own a pet and one in four households consider cats valued members of the family unit. And why wouldn’t they—kitties are awesome! Even so, the reality is that there are still many cats who end up in animal shelters. Read on to learn more about why and how this happens and Cat in a Flat’s tips for ways you can help!

How many cats are in animal shelters?

How many cats are in animal shelters? Every year, roughly 140,000 cats end up in shelters in the UK. On top of that, there are around a quarter of a million felines living rough on the streets. While it’s rare to encounter stray dogs, stray cats are often a relatively common occurrence. Some of this is because of the social perception that it’s okay to leave felines to fend for themselves. On top of that, cats are able to wander more widely than dogs. When not neutered by their owners, they can reproduce much more quickly (and have larger litters). 

What causes cats to end up in shelters?

What causes cats to end up in shelters? There can be several reasons why cats end up in animal shelters. Some of these could due to owner, cat, or societal related factors and issues. For example, a change in Mr Whiskers’ owner’s health might lead to them giving up their beloved fur friend. Or when a kitten is born into a stray litter, they may end up in an animal shelter. 

Owner-related factors

• Allergies: If someone develops a sudden allergy, or another person moves in who is allergic to cats, they may end up surrendering their fur friend to an animal shelter. 
• Health: Cats sometimes end up in shelters due to changes in their owner’s health. If a paw parent suddenly becomes very ill, is hospitalized, or passes away, there may not always be someone else able to look after their kitty. 
• Cost: Between providing good quality food, litter, a cat-safe home environment, and veterinary care, caring for a feline can at times be expensive. A change in a pet owner’s financial circumstances may lead to them not being able to afford to keep their fur friend. Hence, their cat ends up in a shelter.  
• Moving: Sometimes it’s difficult to find pet-friendly housing. Or a paw parent may not be able to take their feline with them when they move. 
• Life changes: Having a baby, getting a divorce, or other big life changes may cause some pet owners to struggle to continue to care for their kitties. 

Cat-related factors

• Health: Just like humans, felines can experience changes in their health. Sometimes the financial strain of caring for a cat with health issues can be too much for their owners. Especially if Mr Whiskers has a long-term issue like feline diabetes, food allergies, or a more serious ailment like kidney disease.
• Unplanned litters: Unspayed kitties can lead to unplanned pregnancies. A female cat can have multiple litters per year and on average each litter will have 4-6 kittens. Unexpected pregnancies can result in kittens the owner is unable to care for. Hence these cats may end up in a shelter instead. 
• Behavioural issues: On occasion, some kitties may become aggressive or exhibit other behavioural issues that their paw parents find difficult to manage. These behaviours can emerge due changes in environment (such as a new baby or pet in the family). They can also be due to lack of mental and physical stimulation, or a sign of an ill or injured cat. 

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What can I do to help cats in shelters?

What can I do to help cats in shelters? It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by the number of cats that end up in shelters. The fact that you’re here, reading this article indicates you’re a feline lover who cares about our furry friends! While it may seem impossible to make much of a difference, there are quite a few things you can do to help:

Start at home

If you already have kitties of your own, do everything you can to ensure they’re happy and healthy. Find ways to make your home more cat friendly and spend time and play with your cat every day. And always have a plan for where Mr Whiskers can go should you become incapacitated by a sudden emergency. 

Tip: Have a shortlist of cat sitters you trust on hand who you can book last minute in an emergency. Your trustworthy sitter can provide care for your kitty. This will help them feel less stressed and anxious when you’re not around.  

Adopt don’t shop

If you can, always aim to adopt instead of buying a cat! It can be tempting to want to buy a certain type of feline. Before you do, head to your local shelter to meet some of the kitties there. With so many cats ending up in shelters, you’re sure to find a fur friend that suits your personality and lifestyle. 

Sponsor a cat

If you already have felines of your own or live in an apartment where you’re unable to have cats, sponsoring one is a great alternative! With just a few pounds a month you can help provide supplies, toys, and care for a kitty in a shelter. Many shelters make it fun by sending sponsors letters and cards with updates from the feline. 

Foster a cat

When you foster a feline, you are providing them with a temporary home while they await adoption. This frees up much-needed space and helps kitties who may struggle to adapt to a shelter environment. And, if you’re on the fence about adopting, fostering a cat is a great way to test the waters to see if you’re ready to bring a kitty into your life full-time.  

Donate

If you can, donating is a wonderful way to help cats in animal shelters. Monetary donations can help with expenses such as medical care and overall shelter maintenance. Depending on what works for you, you can usually either do a one-time donation or set up a monthly donation that’s automatically deducted from your bank account. 

Volunteer

Volunteering your time is both a great way to help your local shelter and get to spend time with cats! This can involve a lot of different activities from caring, feeding, and socializing with felines, to helping new paw parents with the adoption process. 

Spay and neuter

There are a myriad of health benefits when you spay or neuter your kitty. It also helps prevent the feline population from growing and reduces the number of cats that end up in shelters. If you’ve already spayed your cat, encourage your friends and family members to make sure they do the same for their kitties. 

If you live in an area with a lot of community cats, check with your local shelter or charity to see if they have a TNR (trap, neuter, release) program. These aim to humanely take feral cats off the streets, neuter them, and release them again (as many feral felines can’t be adopted out). This keeps the local cat population healthier and prevents uncontrolled breeding. 

Looking for more helpful tips on caring for both your felines and those in your community? Learn how to safely get a cat into a carrier, make inexpensive kitty toys, and how you can create a cat-friendly garden for the fur friends in your area.