This white cat from Bedford has already been reserved - but there's plenty more who need a good home

The RSPCA has reported a 166 per cent increase in searches for cats on its FindAPet website following the first year of the pandemic.

And last year the charity rehomed 17,868 cats - that's two cats rehomed every hour.

In Bedfordshire, there were 176 cats rehomed in 2020 - and with this month marking Adoptober, the charity is shining a light on those furry felines needing a good home.

Sam Gaines, head of the RSPCA’s companion animals team, said: “It’s great to see so many people are interested in adopting cats from the RSPCA.

"The lockdown has really shone a light on the close bonds we have with our pets and for many people, their pets have become a real source of comfort during these challenging times.

“Our centres and branches are seeing lots of cats coming into their care at the moment. This could be due to the end of the kitten season when most cats are born or more worryingly, it could be as a result of people buying cats on impulse earlier in the year who are now struggling to cope with them."

Although 10-year-old Billy (pictured) - who suffered from skin cancer on his ears - has already been reserved, they are plenty of other kittys needing a loving home.

If you are interesting in adopting a cat, visit the North Bedfordshire branch of the RSPCA website here