HUNDREDS of cats had to be re-homed by York's RSPCA staff in the last year because owners are still failing to get their cats neutered.

In the past 12 months, 596 cats have been taken to the RSPCA sanctuary in Landing Lane, Acomb - and of those 595 have been re-homed.

Staff at the animal home say the situation will continue to escalate if cats continue to go unneutered.

Elaine Murdoch, manager of the RSPCA home, in Landing Lane, said: "We've had an awful lot of cats to deal with in the last year.

"There's all these lives and there's not enough homes for them. Some of them come in so ill and they shouldn't have to go through that.

"They suffer an awful lot and it's so unnecessary. If people would just get their cats neutered it wouldn't happen. We managed to re-home all but one of the cats in this last year, but it's so important for people to get their cats neutered."

To reduce the cat population crisis the RSPCA is extending a targeted neutering drive to help tackle some of the worst affected areas in the country by sending a mobile cat neutering unit around the country next year. The unit is expected to call at York.

The RSPCA has calculated that one unneutered female cat could be responsible for up to 50 million offspring in an average ten-year lifespan.

Chris Lawrence, head of the RSPCA's veterinary department, said: "Kittens born this year are coming into season now and unless owners get them neutered we are going to have severe problems in the New Year."

Updated: 11:20 Wednesday, October 24, 2001