Rising demand may see cattery refurbished

Kittens were recently found in a taped-up cardboard box in Coventry amid a rise in strays and pets abandoned by owners

Plans to add more spaces for dumped or lost cats at a Coventry cattery have been lodged with the council.

If approved, the refurbished RSPCA Coventry and District branch will be able to temporarily house a third more cats, amid a rise in strays and those being abandoned.

The cattery was expanded to accommodate 60 animals, but it is still experiencing overwhelming demand.

Centre manager Lorraine Bryan, earlier said it was the "worst year" for cat and kitten abandonment in 20 years of working at the branch.

A new adjacent cattery was built at the site in 2023, the application said

Ms Bryan says they are “at capacity”, despite boosting spaces over the last five years - especially as there is a “lack of interest” in older cats, black cats and those with medical issues.

"We are here to support the public but as an independent charity to the national RSPCA, when we are out of space we struggle to do more," she explained.

"If we can raise funds and increase fosterers that will be two ways of helping this crisis."

Cattery bosses now want permission to refurbish the inside layout of the original building to meet minimum pen size requirements and accommodate more pets.

Abandonments 'at their highest'

The original cattery, which can house 30 felines in singular pods, would be replaced with dual cat pods, meaning it could potentially have 22 more animal spaces, in addition to the 60 current spaces available across the site.

“The facilities are seen as essential for the ongoing need for maintenance, storage and support of cat rehoming services in Coventry and district area,” a statement included in the application said.

The RSPCA said earlier this year that animal abandonment was at its highest level for three years.

The charity has found homes for more than 33,000 animals across the West Midlands since 2013, as well as more than 405,000 animals nationally.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.