AN RSPCA rehoming centre in Worcestershire says it’s taken in more unwanted cats so far this year than at any other time since the shelter first opened seven years ago.

Almost 200 cats have already come through the doors of The Holdings Animal Centre in Kempsey in 2023, a rise of 32 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The Worcestershire centre is appealing to anyone who is in a position to be able to adopt a cat to visit the centre’s website. A special appeal is being made for some of the longest-staying residents, including five-year-old Alan.

He needs a quiet, calm and understanding new home after spending three years being fed as a stray in the Kidderminster area. 

It’s thought he moved out of his home as a very young cat after two dogs moved into the household.

He was being fed by a kind member of the public who contacted The Holdings after becoming concerned for his welfare.

He’s been cared for at the centre since May and is now enjoying regular meals and a warm bed for the first time in years. Extremely nervous and wary of human contact when he first arrived, he’s coming out of his shell thanks to the care and patience of staff and volunteers at the centre and is now ready to find a loving home to call his own.