00:00This is Tom. He's been at the Ashford Garden Cattery for around a month and is looking for a home.
00:06But if the cattery closes, it's likely he will have to move to another RSPCA branch outside of Ashford.
00:15This is the reality for all of the cats here in the cattery, all who are here for various different
00:20reasons.
00:21It could be because the owner can no longer afford to keep them, you know, the cost of living crisis,
00:26and also the increase in vet costs, which is a big problem.
00:31And then sadly, sometimes we do have cats. Sabrina, she's gone missing. There she is.
00:36Sabrina, who was sadly left on our doorstep in a carrier one evening last week.
00:42After facing a £30,000 loss in the last year, if Ashford Garden Cattery cannot raise the £50,000 it
00:49needs to stay open,
00:51it will be forced to close, taking the future of these cats out of their hands.
00:56And, you know, our concern is if we do close, where do all of these cats go?
01:02Where do they go? Because there's nowhere in Ashford Town Centre, based in the town centre, for cats in need
01:09to come to.
01:10This is Delaina. She's only 10 weeks old and has been in the Ashford Garden Cattery since the 18th of
01:17them,
01:17and making her one of the newest members here. Other cats have been here for around 100 days,
01:22the oldest cat being 15 years old.
01:26Now, if the cat tree doesn't fundraise the £50,000 before the end of the year, exactly,
01:31they will be forced to close.
01:34And then cats like Delilah may need to be moved to other RSPCA branches,
01:39where they may be unsettled as they're not used to the environment.
01:43Here, the animals are well taken care of and are comfortable in their private spaces.
01:47They can socialise with many people, and vice versa.
01:51It allows people to come and spend time with them.
01:54So I asked one volunteer what it would be like for her if the cat tree did close.
01:58Yeah, that would be really weird for me. I would be sad about it, but I would also, like, wonder,
02:02like,
02:03I don't know, what to do with myself on Tuesdays.
02:07But, yeah, I think if it were to close, it would be a loss, for sure.
02:15Not just for me, but for the community as well.
02:18Three weeks into the fundraising,
02:21Ashford Garden Cattery have already raised £10,000 of their target,
02:25and have received so much community support so far.
02:28Lisa is hoping that with this support and fundraising the full amount,
02:32every cat will find the home that they deserve.
02:35Nayla Mohamed for KMTV in Ashford.
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