Hundreds of complaints about cats being mistreated were made to the RSPCA in Worcestershire and Herefordshire last year.

Figures from the animal charity show 227 reports were made about cats being abandoned, poisoned, mutilated, shot, beaten or neglected across the two counties in 2021.

David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said: “The demand for pets soared during the pandemic meaning backstreet kitten breeders have been able to make more money out of flogging pets online.

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“We normally see a rise in kittens being sold at this time of year and coupled with the cost of living crisis, sadly we could see a boom in the kitten trade this year as a result.”

Over the past six years (2016-2021), there were 16,212 incidents of deliberate cruelty towards cats reported to the RSPCA, which equates to a staggering seven cats a day suffering at the hands of humans.