A growing number of cats are being abandoned in Essex as pet owners struggle to afford neutering, a local animal rescue charity has warned.
Linzi Fallows, 50, co-founder of Pippa’s Army Animal Rescue, which mainly cares for stray cats in Thurrock and Havering, says the financial burden of neutering is driving the problem. Between 2021 and 2024, the RSPCA reported a 51% rise in abandoned animals across England and Wales.
“People can’t afford to neuter their cats anymore,” Miss Fallows said. “They don’t even think about it now. Since Covid, there’s been a throwaway culture—people get animals but don’t keep them.”
In the UK, neutering costs typically range from £100 to £190. Miss Fallows, from Basildon, admitted she personally couldn’t afford the procedure for her pets. She also criticized the lack of education and responsibility around neutering. “There should be a rule that cats are neutered before they go to new homes,” she added.
Recent figures from the RSPCA show Essex had 582 cases of abandoned animals in 2023, up 41% from 414 cases in 2021. Since opening in 2016, Pippa’s Army has cared for around 100 cats and kittens at a time, about 95% of which are strays. Miss Fallows described the situation as “absolutely horrendous,” with cats being dumped everywhere.
Running the shelter is costly. Last year, expenses were around £4,000 per month; now they have risen to between £5,000 and £6,000 monthly.
Tarryn Twitchett from the Blue Cross charity said many abandoned cats are unneutered and often pregnant upon arrival. “We’re seeing a big increase in people giving up their cats,” she said. Sometimes, cats become pregnant after contact with strays.
Ms Twitchett suggested that rising abandonment might also be linked to financial hardship and a backlog of veterinary appointments caused by the pandemic.
The combined pressures of high neutering costs, limited access to vet care, and a lack of owner education are pushing more cats onto the streets, straining rescue charities and leaving vulnerable animals at risk.
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