In May 2023, the RSPCA’s cruelty and neglect line was contacted about a house in Epsom with 30 cats; 10 males and many of the 20 females were pregnant. Due to the high number of cats in the house they hadn’t been socialised and were nervous and hard to handle. The cats were unneutered so the number would continually increase without intervention. 

The owner was offered support with having all the cats spayed and snipped, and rehoming some so they had a more manageable number. The RSPCA’s Inspectorate, who made the initial welfare assessment, called on the support of local RSPCA branches, including us.

We helped collect the cats from the property and worked with a local veterinary practice to have them health checked, vaccinated and neutered. The cats that came into our care went to a local cattery we work with and our wonderful volunteer fosterers to start the rehabilitation and socialisation that needed to happen before they could be rehomed. 

Read more about Mia, Fern and Sapphire’s story

Mia and her four kittens were taken in by our fosterer, Lisa, who did a fabulous job helping raise this young family. Lisa’s cat Tommy, who she rehomed after he was found living stray on the streets of Godalming, made an amazing foster daddy. Lisa and Tommy ended up adopting two of the kittens.

Fosterer Alison took in Fern, who became very friendly once she’d settled and was adopted in July by a lovely young couple in London who had experience of nervous, multi household cats.

Fern is loving life in her new home, with her adopters existing cat.

Pregnant Sapphire went with fosterer Cat and gave birth to one little white kitten, who was given the beautiful name of ‘Pearl’ by Cat’s son. As Pearl was born while in foster care she was well socialised (unlike Sapphire) and rehomed as soon as she was old enough; we love getting updates on how well Pearl is doing from her new owner, Georgie.

Sapphire took a few months to trust people and eventually found a lovely home in Guildford with two existing boy cats to show her the ropes. Sapphire loves to play in her new home and is happy; her new owners are content knowing she might never let them stroke her because of the lack of socialisation in her early years.

 Find out more about the benefits of neutering your cat.