Agria Pet Insurance and cat lovers raise £13k for cats in need

Almost 7,000 cats, and over 23,000 cat ‘parents’ and cat-lovers, joined a month-long celebration of all cats via the “Agria CatWalk” competition.

The Agria CatWalk was created to highlight the significant issues faced by the UK’s cats and cat rescues and support them with awareness and donations. Far fewer cats than dogs in the UK are protected with insurance, which is often a key factor for them ending up in rescue – their owners cannot afford their vets’ bills.

The specialist pet insurer’s work with hundreds of animal rescues gives them a unique insight into the problems they face. A survey of their rehoming partners revealed that 80% of cats in rescue had not been adopted due to their age, appearance, or disability.

Designed to highlight the ‘magnificence of every cat’, the event showcased how special all cats are – from their unique looks and personalities to their unusual pastimes, with the photo-sharing ‘Agria CatWalk’ Facebook competition. 

Helped by high-profile judges, International Cat Care, ProtectaPet, Your Cat Magazine, and Katzenworld, cat lovers took part to win a share of £2,500 for their nominated rescue every week in May. Agria Pet Insurance also donated to animal rescues with every cat policy sold during the month.

“This fact triggered the campaign’s theme of celebrating every cat. Their quirks and diversity make them the companions we love so much, so we wanted to highlight this, and encourage potential owners to consider all cats, not just the stereotypical ‘perfect’ ones,” explains Tom Vaughan, Head of Marketing at Agria Pet Insurance.

One of the winning rescues, Assisi Animal Sanctuary, received a £1,000 donation. They said, “This past year has been so challenging, and has, without a doubt, been the most financially punishing year Assisi has ever seen, so we are incredibly grateful to receive this nomination and prize.”

Amotherby Cat and Kitten Rescue commented, “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this and so grateful to Agria and our super-supporters – it will make such a difference to our rescue.”

A third of cat rescues surveyed said they were already full, with two-thirds reporting a significant increase in cats surrendered to them over the past year. The majority reported an increase of between 25% and 50% above what is usual, with more than 70% of rescues worried about the number of cats due to arrive in their care as lockdown continues to ease.

The survey also found that, sadly, a quarter of cats in UK rescues have been there for at least six months.

Survey carried out among Agria Pet Insurance cat rescue partners in April 2021.