The RSPCA has seen a huge surge in searches for cats as new figures show that on average the charity rehomes two cats every hour.

There was a 166% increase in searches for cats on the RSPCA’s FindAPet website following the first year of the pandemic (March 2020 was 114,316 compared to January 2021 304,300.)

Last year the charity rehomed 17,868 cats, which is 53 a day or two cats rehomed every hour. In Nottinghamshire there were 352 cats rehomed in 2020.

The RSPCA is shining a light on the animals in its care looking for homes, and with more cats coming into the charity’s care than any other pet this means there are plenty of feline friends looking to be adopted.

Sam Gaines, head of the RSPCA’s companion animals team, said: “It’s great to see so many people are interested in adopting cats from the RSPCA. The lockdown has really shone a light on the close bonds we have with our pets and for many people, their pets have become a real source of comfort during these challenging times.

“We’ve seen a huge surge in pet ownership during the past year or so and whilst it’s positive that so many people want to take on a pet we are keen to highlight the importance of doing your research to ensure you’ve got the time, patience and money to care for that animal for the rest of their life.

“Our centres and branches are seeing lots of cats coming into their care at the moment. This could be due to the end of the kitten season when most cats are born or more worryingly, it could be as a result of people buying cats on impulse earlier in the year who are now struggling to cope with them.

“However, we’d urge anyone who has thoroughly done their research and is keen to take on a rescue cat to consider adopting from the RSPCA.”

Cats looking for homes in Nottinghamshire include Poppy (pictured top) who is looking for a calm, quiet home. Staff at RSPCA Radcliffe are very fond of this sweet older girl, who has a lovely personality and enjoys lots of fuss and attention. Poppy is a little overweight, and although she has lost some weight already through a strict feeding regime, she does still need some encouragement to exercise. Poppy will need time to settle into her new home as she can be a little unsure of new surroundings, but once settled we’re sure she will make a brilliant companion.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care visit website or call the donation line on 0300 123 8181.