‘We are running out of room for our animals’

BBC Two white and tabby kittens have their paws against the glass of a pen at an animal rescue charity. — Nesquick and Fruitloop at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Bury are among hundreds of cats in need of a new home

Several cat rescue charities have warned they are at “breaking point” as they struggle to meet rising demand to look after stray or abandoned pets.

Despite more than 300 cats being on a waiting list to be taken in, staff at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Bury, Greater Manchester, said their pens were full.

Manager Karen Weed said the highest level of demand since the charity opened in 1957 had resulted in a “cat crisis in the North West”.

She said a lack of neutering, combined with the cost-of-living crisis, rising vet bills and a “disposable attitude” towards pets, were all factors.

‘Most in danger’

“The number of cats needing our help far outweighs the space we’ve got available,” she said.

“All rescues in the local area are just flat-out full capacity.”

She warned that they “just don’t have the space to accommodate all those cats”.

Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary is home to up to 250 animals, of which about 90 are cats. It serves northern Greater Manchester and southern Lancashire.

Despite managing to rehome more than 500 cats in 2025, more than 350 were still on the waiting list in December.

Priority is given to cats deemed to be most in danger or requiring immediate and urgent care.

Two ginger kittens and a tortoiseshell kitten are lying on an orange blanket on a cat bed. — Gatsby and Luna were found abandoned on a garage roof and rescued by the fire service before going to Avid’s Angels Cat

“Cats are coming into us in awful conditions and with preventable things as well, ranging from really bad flea infestations to much more serious illnesses because they haven’t had vaccinations,” said Ms Weed.

She said there were also more unwanted litters of kittens, with her organisation receiving 76 in 2025 alone.

“The cost of living has gone up drastically and vet fees have increased,” she said.

“But we are also seeing quite a throwaway culture where people are getting animals and don’t want them anymore, so they just kick them out or move away and leave the cats behind.

“It’s just getting worse and worse this year and we really are in a crisis.”

Annie came into Bleakholt at just four days old after her siblings died and her mother rejected her

Cattery assistant Lucy Melia said: “It’s disheartening because you really want to help them all. You just want to help.

“We’ve got no choice but to put them on a waiting list.”

The rescue centre has launched Project Purrfect, a fundraising drive to build new catteries and create space to house an extra 100 cats.

Three-month-old Olive was found dumped in the woods and her ruptured eye, believed to be as a result of cat flu, had to be removed

Other rescue centres told the BBC they were facing similar issues.

Jen Herriot, who runs Avid’s Angels Cat Rescue in Bolton, has been forced to close her waiting list entirely.

She said: “It upsets me that as a country we have got to this breaking point.

“If there was more help out there… with the cost of the pets… so they could stay in their own homes that would be an absolute blessing.”

The RSPCA has warned of an “epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect”, with reports of such cases at their highest level in at least six years.

A tiny kitten is cradled by a volunteer wearing gloves. — Gatsby and Luna were found abandoned on a garage roof and rescued by the fire service before going to Avid’s Angels Cat

“Cats are coming into us in awful conditions and with preventable things as well, ranging from really bad flea infestations to much more serious illnesses because they haven’t had vaccinations,” said Ms Weed.

She said there were also more unwanted litters of kittens, with her organisation receiving 76 in 2025 alone.

“The cost of living has gone up drastically and vet fees have increased,” she said.

“But we are also seeing quite a throwaway culture where people are getting animals and don’t want them anymore, so they just kick them out or move away and leave the cats behind.

“It’s just getting worse and worse this year and we really are in a crisis.”

Annie came into Bleakholt at just four days old after her siblings died and her mother rejected her

Cattery assistant Lucy Melia said: “It’s disheartening because you really want to help them all. You just want to help.

“We’ve got no choice but to put them on a waiting list.”

The rescue centre has launched Project Purrfect, a fundraising drive to build new catteries and create space to house an extra 100 cats.

Three-month-old Olive was found dumped in the woods and her ruptured eye, believed to be as a result of cat flu, had to be removed

Other rescue centres told the BBC they were facing similar issues.

Jen Herriot, who runs Avid’s Angels Cat Rescue in Bolton, has been forced to close her waiting list entirely.

She said: “It upsets me that as a country we have got to this breaking point.

“If there was more help out there… with the cost of the pets… so they could stay in their own homes that would be an absolute blessing.”

The RSPCA has warned of an “epidemic of animal abandonment and neglect”, with reports of such cases at their highest level in at least six years.