An animal charity is urging pet owners to act responsibly and get their feline friends neutered after discovering several pregnant cats.

The RSPCA’s inspectors were called to a Manor Park home when a woman found a pregnant stray cat in their garden. The cat subsequently gave birth to kittens. It was also being targeted by a colony of male cats.

The charity neutered the mother cat and took in the kittens for homing as they are easier to home and the charity did not want them breeding.

They had to return the mother cat to the garden until they have space for her.

Lorna Gowers, London East RSPCA, said: “We neutered all of the male cats too and they had to be trapped over several days and taken to the vet. There was one remaining young male cat who evaded capture so we will have to go back at some stage to trap and neuter him too. We can’t re home the male cats so we had to return them to the garden after they had been neutered. “This lady has gone to a lot of trouble to sort the problem out and is left with a colony of cats to feed that she did not want. All because irresponsible people don’t neuter their cats and/or abandon them.”

The charity thought it had solved the problem, but it received another call from the house owner several days later saying another heavily pregnant cat had arrived in her garden.

Lorna said: “Sadly to say this story is not unique, It is happening all over Newham. We must try to get people to see that they are not being good citizens and neighbours when they are irresponsible pet owners.”