RSPCA urges cat adoption and fostering as rescue centres run out of space
Cats are arriving faster than the charity can rehome them in England and Wales, according to a Guardian report, with adult cats among those needing homes.
The RSPCA is urging people in England and Wales to adopt or foster cats as they arrive in its care faster than they can be rehomed, The Guardian reported on 20 October 2026. The charity says it has more animals than space in its centres and branches, leaving it especially keen to find homes for cats that may be harder to place.
Cats now outnumber dogs in the RSPCA’s shelters, according to The Guardian. The charity has faced capacity pressures since last year, which it links partly to cases involving large numbers of animals, as well as rising cruelty and neglect.
How many cats are entering RSPCA care
Beth Clements, the RSPCA’s assistant director of animal services, said it was taking in an average of 624 cats a month so far this year across its 14 national centres and private boarding establishments. That figure excludes cats taken in by its independent local branches. ‘We’ve seen a huge influx of cats and kittens,’ she said. ‘Sadly it just isn’t slowing down.’
The charity took in 5,616 cats at its 14 animal centres by October, The Guardian reported. It cared for 6,408 at those centres throughout 2025, up from 4,436 in 2021. Counting foster centres and independent branches as well, about 20,000 cats entered RSPCA care last year; the charity expects that wider total to rise in 2026.
The RSPCA reported responding to 1,780 incidents involving 10 or more cats at one address in 2025, nearly 65% more than the year before. It said those incidents involved more than 36,000 cats. The figures illustrate the scale of multi-animal cases, though the charity has not quantified how much they contributed to its overall intake.
Why the RSPCA is seeking adopters and foster carers
Clements said the charity particularly wants homes for adult cats that may be passed over in favour of kittens, and for cats needing patient, experienced owners or a different kind of home. The appeal comes as the RSPCA says it has run out of room for cats and dogs in its shelters.
Fostering gives cats a temporary home while they recover, await adoption or, in the case of young kittens, grow before rehoming, according to the RSPCA’s cat-fostering guidance. People interested in fostering can register as volunteers and apply for suitable roles.
RSPCA chief executive Jo Rowland said the charity was working to recruit more foster carers and modernise its rehoming process to get animals into homes sooner. She asked people considering a pet to adopt from a rescue, and those unable to adopt to consider fostering.
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Sources and context
- ‘We really need help’: RSPCA faces capacity crisis as cats arrive faster than they can be rehomedThe Guardian
- How to foster a catRSPCA
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.