RSPCA Hants and Surrey Border Branch is appealing for animal lovers to ‘sponsor a pen’ this Christmas.

It costs the branch more than £26,000 every year to look after the cats in its pens, and the winter months are always very busy with more abandoned pets than it can cope with.

Supporters can donate £6.50 to sponsor a pen of their choice for just one day, or more if they wish.

“All your money will help all the homeless cats to spend safer Christmas in a place they are looked after,” said a spokesman.

“The help of our donors is so important and we can’t manage without it, so, please, do something kind this Christmas and make a contribution towards a cat that through no fault of its own is unwanted.

“It can be in memory of one of your cats, to sponsor the pen where your adopted cat came from or as a Christmas present to an animal lover.”

For more information on how to sponsor one or more of the RSPCA’s pens for the month of December visit the website https://mydonate.bt.com/events/sponsorapen.