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Stray cat numbers three times higher in one town

Kian Boyle,in Lutonand
Helen Burchell
News imageKian Boyle/BBC A grey and white cat is lying on gravel and looking at the camera with wide-open green eyes.Kian Boyle/BBC
Parts of Luton are more likely to have feral and stray cats, compared with the rest of England

Parts of Luton have three times the number of stray cats compared with the national picture, according to a rescue charity.

Cats Protection is on a mission to trap the stray colonies, neuter those who are old enough, and then release them.

Lee Gilheany-Pockett, a community adviser at the charity, said that his team and volunteers from other groups were "tackling" the problem.

Within the last two years he said they had neutered more than 1,000 cats, including some which were domesticated.

"Trap, neuter, return (TNR) is a huge part of our role," he said.

According to statistics compiled by Cats Protection, across the UK the median unowned cat density in urban areas is estimated to be 9.3 cats per sq km.

However, in parts of Luton numbers can range from 9.8 to 27.6 cats.

News imageCats Protection A black cat is trapped inside a green cage which is in a garden. There is dry grass and leaves on the ground in the foreground, and a green-painted shed or outbuilding in the background at the end of the garden.Cats Protection
Traps are used to capture strays and feral cats so they can be seen by a vet

Gilheany-Pockett said while he was unable to estimate the exact number of cats in local colonies, "if you imagine that one female cat can have 18 kittens each year - there could be huge amounts".

"It's so important to get a cat neutered as soon as possible."

TNR is a globally-recognised method of trying to reduce feral colonies and cats are returned to their own area after being treated by a vet, he explained.

Young, feral kittens can often be fostered and socialised, but trying to rehome an older or adult feral would "do the cat more harm" as a house would be "completely alien to it".

"Feral cats, born to feral parents, have lived outside all their lives, this is their natural habitat," he added.

News imageKian Boyle/BBC Lee Gilheany-Pockett is standing in a garden and trees and a green metal cat trap can be seen in the background. He has short, brown hair and is wearing spectacles and a pink polo shirt with the Cats Protection logo on it.Kian Boyle/BBC
Lee Gilheany-Pockett said releasing neutered cats back to their colonies was the best way to care for the animals

Aisha Hussain joined Luton Cats Protection after finding an unneutered stray herself.

She said many of the strays in the nearby colonies looked fairly healthy as "Luton residents are quite amazing" at providing food.

Hussain, who is now a community support manager for the charity, said that while she was a huge feline fan, "we need to balance the population".

News imageKian Boyle/BBC Aisha Hussain is smiling at the camera near a brick wall to her right. She is wearing a blue scarf over her head and a blue jacket with the Cats Protection logo on it.Kian Boyle/BBC
Aisha Hussain joined Luton Cats Protection after finding an unneutered stray herself

Luton Cats Protection volunteer Julia Bowen urged anyone concerned about the welfare of cats to get in touch with the charity so staff could check the animals for microchips, or take them in for treatment if they were indeed stray or feral.

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