THE RSPCA is concerned a boom in kitten buying could lead to more cats coming into rescue centres and needing new homes, as the charity reports there were 446 cat incidents in Dorset alone this year.

Google searches for ‘Kittens near me’ increased sixfold this July, a 667 per cent increase on the same time last year.

The charity has also revealed that between April and July 2020, there was a 188 per cent increase in searches for kittens.

Although people have had more time on their hands this year, the RSPCA is urging anyone thinking of getting a pet to consider whether they can care for them in the long-term - and not just for a pandemic.

The RSPCA’s cat welfare expert, Alice Potter said: "It’s fantastic that so many people are interested in bringing a cat into their home this year. However, with such high increases in people searching for kittens online, it’s important that prospective owners are doing their research and not buying a kitten on impulse.

"This means making sure they have the time, money and resources to care for a cat for the rest of their lives, but also ensuring that if buying a kitten they are buying a healthy and happy kitten from a responsible breeder."

Since the start of the year, the RSPCA has received more than 45,000 incidents relating to cats, resulting in many felines in the charity's care looking for a home.

Alice said: "We are braced for a kitten season boom next year as routine neutering procedures had to be put on hold during the lockdown. This means that whilst the UK is already facing a cat overpopulation crisis, we may now see even more unplanned litters of kittens."