How to help stray cats?

[NotDarkGothicMama]

My neighbour (NDN) has two stray cats hanging out at her house, both female. One's a kitten about 5-6 months old and very friendly, while the other is older and disappears to her hidey holes around the house as soon as she's eaten. NDN has had them checked for microchips (none), done paper collars and posted on local lost & found groups, with no one coming forward to claim them. It's been about a month.

NDN is prepared to offer them a home, but is on a low income and can't afford to get them vaccinated, chipped and spayed. I've contacted Cats Protection, the RSPCA, PDSA and local independent rescues but they either don't cover our area or are out of funds to help. They are also unable to take in healthy strays unless pregnant.

What do we do? I've ended up paying for the kitten's vaccinations, microchip, flea/tick/worm treatments and spaying out of my own pocket, at a cost of nearly £400, but can't do this for the older one. What if more turn up? It seems so sad that we have to let these girls get pregnant before they can get help.

Our CP branch used to give out vouchers to have cats neutered/spayed for £10 at a partner vet. I don’t know if that’s still something they do, I’m only aware of it because our surgery was one of the partner vets in the scheme, and it was maybe just a local thing, but possibly worth asking? You and your neighbour are very kind to help.

I contacted our local CP branch but they've run out of funds for neutering vouchers this year. It's a great initiative. The last thing these cars need is to be trapped in a cycle of pregnancy after pregnancy, pumping out litters of unwanted kittens.

Where are you? Maybe someone in here can suggest a resource in your area. £400 is a lot for fleas, worming, neutering and vaccination though, I think our vet would come in under £300 for all that (which is still a fair bit to find).

Unfortunately if the other cat is an unneutered female you can be sure there will be more kittens soon. However that might mean a rescue would take her in when she's pregnant.

Near us the RSPCA do a low fee vet clinic. Also I know vet students at different unis offer free or low fee vet clinics - might be worth googling.

Thanks, I'll do some more googling to see what I can do for the older cat. The kitten is booked in for her spay tomorrow.

The PDSA would help if your neighbour is on a low income. It's worth looking into (register on PDSA website)

It doesn't look like the PDSA can help, unfortunately. She's in receipt of qualifying benefits but we don't live in the right area.

The Blue Cross have a vet fee assistance scheme but you have to claim via your vet and they don't have a list of participating practices. Kitten is in for her spay tomorrow so I'll ask the vet whether they're signed up.