A RYEDALE charity is urgently appealing for donations and help with rehoming after an influx of unwanted cats and kittens.

The Cats Protection League, based in Amotherby, now has over 30 kittens and 10 adult cats and for each animal they take in are being forced to turn at least 10 times as many away.

James Wattrus, who looks after the cats with his wife, Liz, said they came from a variety of sources but most usually as strays found wandering or kittens found by the sides of roads accidentally left by their mums searching for food to feed her family.

"They also come from people whose cats have had kittens and they can’t find homes - some are even left when people move house," he added.

"We would urge people to neuter their cats which is a simple operation which can be done at four months."

"There is no need for cat to have one litter as a healthy female will have three litters per year giving birth to up to seven kittens each time and in her life time she can be responsible for 20,000 descendants."

James said help as available from the Pickering & District neutering officer who could also help with catching feral cats.

"At the moment we are bottle feeding eight kittens whose mother has been run over, and this proves to be an exhausting task as well as being expensive," he added.

"We realise that there are a finite number of homes. The credit crunch hits everyone, even down to the number of animals they keep, so currently supply is greater than demand and we have the added problem of having to compete with Facebook, Gumtree and Pre-loved where kittens are often free or very cheap."

James said for anyone who could offer a forever home to one of the cats or kittens, there was an adoption fee of £45 which includes testing, full vaccinations, micro-chipping, neutering - if over 4 months, flea and worm treatment, which was about a third of the price you would have to pay to have this done privately.

"We always need food, blankets, toys and cat equipment. As always the Malton Gazette & Herald lends a sympathetic ear and through their paper to help find homes. We are very grateful," he added.

If you can offer a forever home to one of our cats or kittens, we have an adoption fee of £45 which includes testing, full vaccinations, micro-chipping, neutering (if over 4 months), flea and worm treatment. This is about a third of the price you would have to pay to have this done privately.

Liz and James Wattrus at the Cats Protection League can be contacted on 01653 697918 or for help with neutering or feral cats phone Carol on 01751 477757.