A CHARITY in Cross Roads fears a steep recorded increase in the numbers of cats being reported stolen still does not reflect the extent of this crime.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by Yorkshire Cat Rescue found that just three cats were reported stolen to West Yorkshire Police in 2010. Five years later, in 2015, that figure had jumped to 22.

Sara Atkinson, founder of the charity, said she believes the reality is that many more cats are being stolen each year, but these thefts are not being reported.

“Between 2010 and 2013, only a small handful of cats were reported stolen in West Yorkshire," she said.

"In 2014, that number suddenly went up to 17 and then rose again to 22 the following year. This is quite a significant rise which shows that people are taking the disappearance of their cats more seriously.

“There is a tendency to assume missing cats have either wandered off or been killed in traffic.

"But we believe cat theft is on the rise and if more people reported missing cats to the authorities, we might learn the true scale of the problem.

"More importantly, we might start to see trends and patterns in terms of cats going missing in particular areas – and then be in a position to do something about it.”

Figures obtained by the Blue Cross charity showed a rise in dog and cat theft from 1,150 nationally in 2012, to 1,567 in 2014.

Sara added: “My advice to cat owners is not to panic, but if their cat has never wandered off before, it's worth considering whether they might have been taken deliberately.

"Owners can check with local vets, pet shops, animal rescues and lost pet databases first, but shouldn't discard the idea that their cat could have been stolen – especially if they are particularly striking, especially friendly with strangers or have unusual markings.”