A PLEA for help has been issued by Johnstone Cat Rescue as it struggles to cope with costly vet bills and pay for new equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Margaret Finnigen, who has run the charity for the past eight years, said it is being contacted by a growing number of cat owners who are facing financial difficulty.

She is receiving messages and calls just about every day, resulting in more cats to accommodate and feed – and more vet bills to take care of.

Margaret told The Gazette: “I’ve got a waiting list of cats who need a new home because their owners can’t afford to feed them.

“The owners are upset and, in a lot of cases, they are sobbing their hearts out as they hand their cats over. It is really heartbreaking.

“Some people are losing their home and having to stay with relatives or friends or go into rented accommodation and can’t take their cats with them.

“The other side of the coin is that more people are wanting to adopt, which is great. We do, however, need to match cats with the right family. Some lovely families have adopted cats from us recently.”

Johnstone Cat Rescue, which relies on public donations, has continued to operate throughout the pandemic, with Margaret describing the level of support from the public as “marvellous.”

The organisation has also taken on more volunteers so that other areas in Renfrewshire can be covered and more abandoned and unwanted cats can be rescued.

Volunteers for the charity, however, need to be equipped with the tools of the trade, including scanners, traps and secure cat carriers.

Retired child care officer Margaret, who runs the charity from her home, has just bought eight new scanners and 10 cat carriers but further donations are needed to pay for more equipment.

She added: “These items are not cheap and we don’t want to dig into the funds we have set aside for veterinary care unless we have to. Our main problem has always been very high vet fees.

“The public have been very kind, in terms of donations.”

Anyone who would like to support Johnstone Cat Rescue should call 01505 703350 or send an email to johnstonecatrescue@gmail.com. Alternatively, call Abbey Vets on 0141 887 4111 to make a donation to the charity’s bank account.