Six kittens died shortly after their ‘emaciated’ mother gave birth to them, as kitten season takes its toll on local rescues.

RSPCA Taylors Rehoming Centre, based at Kingston Maurward in Dorchester, is pleading with cat owners to get their pets neutered.

The centre has taken in nearly 30 kittens over the past four weeks alone and is currently at capacity.

One severely underweight cat was found giving birth in Weymouth. She is being looked after by kind rescue centre staff and is slowly putting on weight, however, after a traumatic birth, none of the six kittens she produced survived.

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Centre manager Tessa Every said: “She was emaciated and in a very bad way. She gave everything but sadly none of them made it. It’s a big strain on them.”

Over the weekend, Tessa took a call from a woman near Wareham who was struggling to cope with three kittens.

Staff agreed to take the kittens early in the week but were told the kittens would be dumped if not collected the same day.

Another three ‘tiny’ kittens were found on a street in Weymouth.

According to Tessa, rescues across Dorset are inundated and struggling to meet demand for space, which is why she is pleading with anyone who owns a cat, or is thinking about getting one, to act responsibly.

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“We don’t know if people were coping better before, and this is down to the cost-of-living crisis, or if it’s linked to the increase in the number of people who took on pets during Covid but this year we’ve seen more cats than ever,” Tessa explained.

“I would really like to remind people that pets are big, long-term commitments. People need to think long term – animals are not disposable. It’s not just about feeding them, there’s so much more - including getting them neutered. Getting them neutered has so many benefits so please do it. 

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“If you are struggling, please don’t let it go on until the very last minute and it’s too late. Call us sooner so we can offer advice, help and plans can be made. Please don’t leave them to have a litter of kittens and that you can’t keep them another day.”

Taylors is a separately registered branch of the RSPCA and is primarily responsible for raising funds locally. It is not funded daily by the national RSPCA or donations made to it, so relies on fundraising and support locally.

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The charity is able to help people in receipt of certain benefits to meet the cost of neutering, offering a contribution to those who ask for help.

For any advice on neutering your cat, contact the team at Taylors on 01305259672.