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The cat 'slums' of East London where unwanted pets are dumped on the street and attacked by 'sex mad toms'

East London is reportedly in the midst of a "cat crisis" with "cat AIDS", "scumbag backyard breeders", sex mad tom cats, and inbred kittens. Tireless cat rescue volunteer and property seller Natalie Talbot, 49, from South Woodford has been scooping up feral felines from the streets of Waltham Forest in a bid to stem a tide of abandoned animals being left behind by heartless owners, but told MyLondon the problem just gets "worse and worse".

UK cat owners swelled by 600,000 during Covid, bringing the total to 10.8million. Research by Cats Protection - where Natalie volunteers - found seven per cent of owners got a cat for reasons like being furloughed or spending more time at home. But Natalie claimed the return to the office and cost of living pressures have caused a boom in abandonment, effectively creating cat 'slums'.

She said: "There's a massive increase in people waiting to get rid of their cats for lots of different reasons. I think it's with people wanting to go back to work after Covid and now we are in the summer holidays people do not want to pay for catteries. And with the cost of living people do not want to pay to look after a pet."

Colonies of stray and feral cats are popping up across London while rescue centres are rammed

Colonies of stray and feral cats are popping up across London while rescue centres are rammed

Cat rescue centres like The Scratching Post Cat Rescue Shelter in Waltham Forest are bursting at the seams. Founder manager Susan Delaney, 59, said it was "absolutely dire" and there is "no space anywhere". She added: "People are breeding left right and centre, the market is flooded with kittens. It gets worse every year."

She blamed the closure of vets during lockdown which meant cats were not being neutered (Kittens should be neutered by four months to stop kittens having kittens). With all 90 spaces full at her centre, she can't deal with people "literally crying and begging down the phone" trying to offload their cat. She said people had reported colonies of up to 30 cats at a time and warned without regulation there would be a cull.

'People will lie and tell you they will put them to sleep'

Cats left on the street pick up infections which can lead to painful abscesses and rotting flesh
 Natalie TalbotCats left on the street pick up infections which can lead to painful abscesses and rotting flesh

The desperate backlog of homeless cats has led to threats from owners to have them killed. Natalie said: "There are lots of people wanting to sign over their cat but the rescue centres are full. People will lie and tell you they will put them to sleep to pull your heart strings."

Natalie explained the problem extends to Kent, Hertfordshire, and Essex, but the worst areas in Waltham Forest were Walthamstow, Leyton, and Leytonstone. She also pointed to "hotspots" like Lloyd Park, Fulbourne Road, and Lea Bridge Road. "We get called back time and time again," she added.

With rescue centres full, some cruel owners are just giving up. Natalie said: " Quite a lot of people are abandoning them in vets. One guy went into a vet in Chingford and just literally left a pet carrier in the waiting room and then walked out. Cats are just left on the door step in a carrier or cardboard box."

When MyLondon asked Goddard Veterinary Group - who have a surgery in Chingford - it confirmed abandonment is "definitely a common thing across our branches". Best Friends Vet Oakhill also confirmed it "does happen" and called it "horrific". Pets Clinic in Walthamstow said they often had people come in with abandoned cats but could not help if they aren't chipped.

Natalie said she responds to calls for stray cats by going out with scanners to check their chips. She also uses "paper collars" which have stickers saying "Please call me if this is your cat", stick up posters, and spread images on social media. " These are not ferals or strays you would expect to find but people do not want them. They just dump them hoping someone will find them," she added.

'It's FIV but I call it Cat Aids'

'Cat AIDS' ruins their immune systems and makes it easier to pickup nasty life threatening diseases
 Natalie Talbot'Cat AIDS' ruins their immune systems and makes it easier to pickup nasty life threatening diseases

The problem is so bad Natalie admitted she's not afraid to scare people if it turns heads. Feline Immunodeficiency Virus is a viral infection that weakens the immune system, much like HIV does in humans. It's not transferable to humans but if untreated it can leave cats suffering.

"It's the AIDS of cats," Natalie said. "Once they have cat AIDS that's it. They have to live with it." FIV can leave cats with "flu, different viruses, and problems with their mouths and gums". Natalie warns it can be spread by sex and fighting which is why it's so important to get neutered.

She said: "Fighting is a big risk. Even if your lovely natured cat is neutered the other cat could be aggressive and attack your cat. I think if owners tested a lot of cats they would have it and they would not even realise. I have heard of people who have taken their cats in who are not well and then they test them and then they are FIV positive."

Of a colony of six cats found in East London, one died, two were FIV positive, and two had full mouth extractions. Natalie said she treats cats with abscesses as a priority and wanted to share gruesome photos so people could see the consequence of backyard breeding and failing to spay.

Inbreeding is another problem that can leave cats with horrific disabilities. Natalie also blamed unneutered cats for hit and runs. She said: " They get lost and they get hit by cars. Their heads are in another place, they are not thinking about the road, they are just thinking about sex. They have the minds of teenage boys."

'Not all breeders are scumbags but they need educating'

Inbreeding can lead to ugly and painful deformities which put feline lives on the line
 Natalie TalbotInbreeding can lead to ugly and painful deformities which put feline lives on the line

With cat breeding unregulated and 68 per cent of all cats bought in 2021 sold online, the scale of backyard breeding has caused a headache for cat rescuers and adoption centres. When MyLondon checked Gum Tree there were 967 ads for kittens and cats in London, with a single kitten going for as much as £1,900.

Cat campaigners like Natalie and Susan are calling for government regulation - like with dog breeding - with limits on the number of litters a mum can have, and an end to ruthless inbreeding which leads to painful deformities. Buying kittens from an adoption centre means they come with vaccines, neutering, and a pet plan "so you are actually saving money".

In lockdown with the demand for cats up people realised they could "make a few bob". Natalie raged: " These breeders are just scumbags trying to make a few quid. The mummy cat has just gone outside and had sex with a tom cat but they do not know what diseases they are bringing back."

But, she warned any breeders they can expected a knock on the door if they carry on. Natalie follows the crumbs and challenges people "in a nice way". She tries to educate people about FIV and neutering and has realised "they are not all scumbags, some are really grateful".

She added: " Some people follow through and neuter - I am quite persuasive. What we want to do is scream and shout but I am really calm and explain the reason. You can't bark at people, it's about educating people."

Reference: My London: Callum Cuddeford -

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