Epping RSPCA bears brunt of state’s cat breeding crisis

There’s a cat crisis in Melbourne’s north, with more than a third of Victoria’s abandoned moggies dumped at Epping’s RSPCA. But could a key change at the shelter see more felines find forever homes?

RSPCA Epping staff member Shelby Thorne with kittens ready for adoption.

Damning new RSPCA Victoria statistics have revealed a cat crisis in Melbourne’s northern suburbs with 36 per cent of cats and kittens surrendered in the state going to Epping’s RSPCA shelter.

Of the 11,200 cats housed by Victoria RSPCA in the past year, 4059 were taken to its Epping facility.

Statistics from Greensborough’s Cat Protection Society show the epidemic is hitting that shelter too, with 1200 cats and kittens given refuge between July 2018 and June 2019.

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Greensborough Cat Protection Society marketing and communications manager Rachel Bitzilis said the shelter received more than 10 inquiries a week from people wanting to surrender cats.

The number of cats arriving at the Greensborough shelter was 50 per cent up on five years ago, she said.

A curious kitten at the Epping RSPCA.

RSPCA head of operations Tegan McPherson said it was crucial people got their cats desexed.

“One of the biggest drivers of the stray cat population is the fact that cats are really good breeders,” she said.

“People desexing their cats is one of the best ways we can (control) this.”

Ms McPherson said one mother cat and her offspring could produce up to 2000 kittens in two years.

In a bid to address the epidemic the Epping RSPCA has permanently reduced adoption fees to $50 for cats and $120 for kittens, she said.

Each animal is desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and health-checked.

Ms Bitzilis said people could be more responsible cat owners by microchipping cats, keeping them indoors and considering the fact the average cat lived for 16 years before becoming a cat owner.

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