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'Feral cat colonies are cropping up everywhere'

Luke Deal/BBC Bex Patch with long dark brown hair and a navy jumper staring into the camera. A brick wall is in the background. Luke Deal/BBC
Bex Patch, community outreach officer with Cats Protection's Framlingham and Saxmundham branch, said reports of feral cats were rising

An animal charity has issued a plea for help as it looks to support an ever-increasing population of feral cats in Suffolk.

Cats Protection's Framlingham and Saxmundham branch said it received reports of feral cats being found across the county "almost every day".

It said team members had been called out to colonies with as many as 20 animals.

Bex Patch, community outreach officer, said the charity wanted to neuter as many cats as possible to prevent the issue getting out of control. It has appealed for help capturing and fostering cats, among other voluntary roles.

Luke Deal/BBC A small cat in a metal cage staring into the cameraLuke Deal/BBC
The charity takes feral cats to the vets to be neutered before releasing them where they were discovered

She said: "If a cat doesn't receive adequate socialisation within its first 12 weeks they don't become domesticated and will not be suitable as pets.

"They don't like being around people, but they are still happy to go about living their lives outside with minimal human contact.

"We have reports of feral cats coming in almost every day - that can be from domestic residences or farms and commercial properties.

"Feral cats crop up everywhere you can think, but unless you are looking for them, they often don't appear because they are so self-sufficient.

"We really want to get as many of them neutered as possible, to make sure they live in as healthy a way as possible while making sure there doesn't get too many of them."

Luke Deal/BBC A woman with dark brown hair in a ponytail wearing a navy jumper and black jeans crouched over a white cage used to trap feral catsLuke Deal/BBC
Ms Patch said feral cats were found at domestic homes in Suffolk and on farmland

The charity has issued an appeal for more volunteers in the hope it will be able to neuter as many feral cats as possible, and put some of them into foster carer.

The types of roles available vary depending on the amount of time animal-lovers can commit.

"One of the [least time consuming] roles is the Outpost Volunteer position, where we ask you keep hold of some of our equipment [in case] someone needs to borrow it," said Ms Patch.

"We are also looking for people, like myself, who can go out to feral colonies and use our humane cat traps to catch cats and transport them to the vet to be neutered.

"The cats also receive vaccines and any health treatment they need and are then released where they were found.

"It is so important to us that feral cats are given a chance at a happy and healthy life."

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