A CROSS Roads-based cat welfare charity says 2015 was the year all its previous records for accommodating cats and kittens were shattered.

Despite twice suffering from a serious virus outbreak and having to close blocks of pens while they were upgraded, Yorkshire Cat Rescue took in 935 cats and kittens between January 1 and December 21 2015, compared with 865 in 2014.

Charity founder, Sara Atkinson, said: “2015 was my 23rd year of running this charity and I can say for certain it was one of the toughest to date.

“Several grants allowed us to upgrade one of our blocks of pens, and that added several new units to our capacity.

"We also used a very kind legacy to improve our kitten house – installing facilities that allow us to keep mums and babies safe and warm.

"Unfortunately, 2015 brought its challenges and re-homing work was at a standstill when we discovered several cases of feline panleukopenia – a virus that's particularly deadly for young kittens. An immediate quarantine and six weeks of intensive, daily deep-cleaning took its toll on both staff and volunteers.

“However, the outbreak also highlighted how valuable our foster homes are. They stepped in at a moment’s noticed and helped us manage the crisis."

She highlighted the charity's struggle to deal with those owners that suddenly give up dozens of cats at once, placing huge pressure on the organisation's funds and resources.

“I keep dreaming of the day when we start to see the number of homeless cats fall instead of this relentless rise," Sara added. "Until then, we'll continue our work – educating owners about responsible pet ownership and stepping in to help in the most urgent and desperate situations.”

Yorkshire Cat Rescue has also issued a call for owners to make 'emergency plans' for their cats.

Half of its waiting list now features animals who have suddenly been left behind after the owner has either died, fallen seriously ill or urgently been taken into care.

Sara said: “Despite being a nation of animal lovers, surprisingly few people have made arrangements for their pets in the event something unexpected should happen.

“We increasingly receive calls from family members, neighbours and vets about cats that have been left behind after their owner died or had to go into care at short notice."

She said owners can change the fate of beloved pets by drawing up an emergency plan, and giving them a mention in their will.