As a concerned citizen and animal advocate, I am perturbed by the current crisis in the United Kingdom regarding unwanted, stray and semi-feral cats. These innocent animals have been forsaken, abandoned on the streets in our challenging economic times. While it is law for cats to be microchipped, the situation necessitates that we go one step further.

I implore that legislation be implemented to enforce licencing for breeding of unregistered cats. For perspective, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) estimates that 91,000 stray and abandoned cats enter their care annually in England and Wales. Breeding for breeding’s sake must be reined in. To ignore this situation stands to further exacerbate the cat overpopulation crisis, increasing the financial and physical burden on animal rescues and general public alike, which are already bursting at the seams.

In addition to licencing, compulsory neutering should be implemented for kittens unregistered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) for a set period. This would help to control the burgeoning cat population and consequently, decline the number of unwanted cats.

Ending the crisis demands responsibility and accountabilty from all of us. Stricter laws, penalties for repeat offenders, and reinforcement of neutering can help reduce the number of cats left to fend for themselves on our streets. As a country, we must rise to address this animals' welfare issue. It starts with you, it starts with us. Please sign this petition to help bring much needed change.