The animal shelter’s cattery in Gillies Street is at capacity, with staff already caring for an unprecedented number of cats and kittens.

Lyn Zboril, the assistant manager at RSPCA Pets Place, an adoption centre for rescued animals at Sebastopol, said there was a desperate need for cats to be adopted out as kitten season began.

“A lot of people don’t realise but it is kitten season at this time of year, ever year,” Ms Zboril said. “There are a lot of stray cats who are not desexed who have been breeding. The difficulty with female cats is that they have a high pregnancy rate. They are very fertile and can become pregnant again almost immediately after they have given birth to a litter, so the cycle of stray kittens continues.” 

Ms Zboril said the RSPCA had already rescued a large portion of homeless cats and kittens. 

Other stray cats had been handed in after being found living under houses in Ballarat. 

“They are in all sorts of places and people find them and bring them to the shelter,” Ms Zboril said.  “We would do everything we could not to turn a cat away ... but it is difficult at the moment to find homes for the cats because of the influx of other animals at this time of year.

“People will often adopt a dog or a lean towards adopting a kitten over an adult cat.”

Ms Zboril said rescuing an adult cat had many benefits.

“They are often a lot more tranquil and mellow than kittens,” Ms Zboril said.  

“They all have their own unique personalities and can make loyal pets.”

Ms Zboril said kittens also made a loving addition to any family. 

“They are fun-loving babies who a lot to learn and they learn it from the people who care and train them,” she said.

All cats and kittens rescued have undergone extensive health checks and been desexed, microchipped, vaccinated and wormed.

Stray cats and kittens are available for adoption from the Ballarat RSPCA shelter at 115A Gillies Street, Alfredton, and the RSPCA Pets Place store at 27 Albert Street, Sebastopol. 

For information, call 5335 5909.