RSPCA Faces Record Cat Influx, Straining Shelters Across England and Wales

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is experiencing a severe capacity crisis for cats across England and Wales, with approximately 20,000 cats taken into its care in 2025, a figure projected to be exceeded in 2026[2][5][8][19]. By October 2026, the charity's 14 national centers had already taken in 5,616 cats, indicating a trajectory to surpass the 6,408 cats handled by these centers in all of 2025[2][5].

This escalating situation places immense pressure on RSPCA resources, leading to over 1,000 animals being housed in private boarding establishments due to a lack of space in official centers[3][17]. The crisis affects the welfare of animals and the charity's ability to respond to new cases of neglect and cruelty.

What the records show

Cat numbers in RSPCA care have been on a consistent rise since 2021[2][5][19]. In 2025, the RSPCA took in around 20,000 cats overall[2][5][15][17][19]. As of October 2026, the 14 national RSPCA centers had taken in 5,616 cats, with projections indicating that the total intake for these centers will exceed the 2025 figure of 6,408 cats[2][5].

The RSPCA rehomed approximately 70 animals daily across all species, but the intake rate consistently outpaces these efforts[3][15][17][19]. The charity's national centers and private boarding establishments take in an average of 624 cats each month[2][5][15][17][19]. This imbalance has resulted in more than 7,000 animals being in RSPCA care at any given time, with over 1,000 animals currently housed in private boarding due to a lack of space[3][17]. Cats now outnumber dogs in the charity's care[5][13][14][15][17][19].

Multi-animal incidents, often linked to pet hoarding, contribute significantly to the crisis[9][10][12]. In 2025, RSPCA officers responded to 1,780 such incidents involving 10 or more cats at a single address, affecting over 36,000 felines[4][5][10][19]. This marked a nearly 65% increase from the previous year[4][5][7]. The trend continued into 2026, with 3,280 multi-animal cases dealt with across England and Wales by October 6, averaging 410 incidents per month[12][16]. Individual centers report similar pressures; RSPCA Coventry & District saw a 59% rise in cat intakes in 2026, and RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre in Chobham had taken in 138 cats by October 22, 2026, expecting to exceed its 2025 total[1][6].

The timeline

Cat admissions to RSPCA shelters began a steady climb in 2021[5][19]. By 2025, the charity responded to 1,780 incidents involving 10 or more cats at a single address, impacting over 36,000 felines[4][5][10][19]. In August 2026, the RSPCA publicly announced that cats had surpassed dogs in its care for the first time[13][19]. By October 2026, the charity's national centers had received 5,616 cats, with overall multi-animal cases reaching 3,280 by October 6 of that year[2][5][12].

What changed and for whom

The RSPCA's shelters are at capacity, forcing the organization to rely heavily on private boarding facilities for hundreds of rescued animals[3][17][19]. This shift means more animals are waiting longer for placement in RSPCA centers and ultimately, for rehoming[3][17]. For the first time, cats now outnumber dogs in the charity's care, reflecting a significant demographic shift in the animals needing rescue[5][13][14][15][17][19]. The public is being urged to consider adopting and fostering adult cats and to ensure their pets are neutered to help manage the population crisis[5][13][14].

What the RSPCA has said

Beth Clements, the RSPCA's Assistant Director of Animal Services, described the situation as a "huge influx of cats and kittens" that "just isn't slowing down" and is having a "massive impact on our centres and branches"[5][13][17][20]. She noted that the charity is taking in an average of 624 cats each month across its 14 national centers and private boarding establishments[5][15][17][20]. Clements also stated, "For the first time ever we have more cats in our care than dogs," and stressed that the RSPCA is "desperate for adopters and fosterers" while urging people to neuter their cats[13]. Oli Whiteway, Animal Centre Manager at RSPCA Millbrook, stated there are "simply more cats and kittens coming into our care than we have the space for"[6]. Gaynor Cannings, deputy manager at RSPCA Ashley Heath Animal Centre, highlighted the influx as having a "massive impact not just on us in Hampshire but across England and Wales"[11].

What we could not confirm

The precise factors contributing to a potential slowdown in adoption rates were not detailed in the available records. The specific number of cats housed by the independent local branch network, separate from the national centers and private boarding, was also not specified.