The Perth Wildcats met some felines of a domestic kind this week in honour of National Cat Day which is today, 29 October.
A litter of seven kittens paid a special visit to their namesakes who have teamed up with RSPCA WA and Cat Haven to help spread the word about the importance of cat sterilisation to reduce the number of unwanted litters both organisations see every year.
The eight-week-old kittens may be tiny but they made a big impression on the players who gave them an abundance of cuddles, chin scratches and play time.
Cat Haven CEO Roz Robinson said the kittens are just seven of 917 cats currently in the organisation's care.
"Unplanned and unwanted litters played a big part in swelling our intake numbers to more than 8,000 cats last year alone," Roz said.
"That is an enormous number that represents a lot of financial strain and other pressure on our organisation, not to mention the suffering some of those cats had endured.
"It's frustrating to see the number of kittens that come in year after year when the solution is so comparatively simple – owners need to be responsible and sterilise their cats."
RSPCA WA CEO Ben Cave said when cat breeding spikes in the warmer months – a time known as 'kitten season' - shelters and rescues are left to deal with the consequences.
"Kitten season is a huge drain on RSPCA WA's shelter and inspectorate resources," Ben said.
"Last year our inspectors responded to reports involving more than 1,200 cats and kittens and attended over 100 rescue missions.
"A lot of these animals are suffering injuries or diseases, and they're terrified – their recovery is often slow and expensive."
Perth Wildcats' CEO and Owner Mark Arena said they were very happy to help spread such an important message.
"These little kittens are just gorgeous but it's sad to think how many are born every year that end up homeless, hurt, sick, or worse," Mark said.
"If our players enjoying some quality kitten time can make a difference, that's a win-win."
In 2024-25, RSPCA WA facilitated the de-sexing of 451 cats through the State Government-funded Pet Sterilisation Program, preventing thousands of potential litters over the lifetime of those cats.
The organisation is in talks with government to run the program again.
