Every day, our shelter is flooded with vulnerable kittens – tiny, helpless lives born into a world where survival is a daily battle. For many, like little Trevor and young mum Mariah, their only hope lies in the kindness of people like you.
Fix the Future
Get Victorian Cats Desexed
Why this campaign matters
Trevor was left abandoned at our adoption shelter under the darkness of night with just a handwritten note explaining that he had been found fending for himself under a bridge in a nearby parkland just before Christmas 2024.
He was just six weeks old and in a terrible state – his face was incredibly swollen, and his right eye was severely damaged, likely from being attacked by another animal while fighting for survival on the streets. In immense pain and unable to be salvaged, our veterinary team removed his right eye and placed him on a course of antibiotics and pain relief.
Despite a terrible start to life, Trevor not only survived but thrived. When well enough to be discharged, he found love and safety in a foster home, where he blossomed into a playful, cheeky kitten who was at his happiest being spoilt with cuddles and affection.
Get involved and make a donation
Every dollar donated will go directly towards CPSV desexing as many cats as possible.
But for every Trevor we save, there are thousands more who are not so lucky.
Mariah’s story also highlights the importance of desexing as many Victorian cats as possible.
In early January, we received a desperate call from a concerned community member who had found a mum and her kitten. Wanting to help, he had contacted his local council, only to be told they couldn’t assist because, like so many pounds and shelters across Victoria, they were already at absolute capacity. If we could support him, he was willing to provide foster care to this mum and her kitten.
When they arrived at our shelter a few days later, we identified that Mum (Mariah) was barely an adult herself- only one year old. Tragically, not only did she have a three-month-old kitten she was caring for, but she was also pregnant again – a heartbreaking reminder of how quickly cats can reproduce. Our Vets confirmed that Mariah would give birth to her second litter in less than three months within the coming days. Mariah is now caring for five tiny two-week-old kittens alongside her three-month-old kitten
The Reality is Heartbreaking
In the last six months, shelters, pounds, and foster groups across Victoria—including ours—have been inundated with vulnerable kittens. Strays collected by local rangers, litters found by the public in building sites, parks, and suburban streets, and cat owners who have not desexed their cats needing to surrender one or more litters.
At The Cat Protection Society, we are fortunate that we have had the capacity to provide these kittens with the care they need. Sadly, this isn’t the case for every Shelter, Pound, and Foster Group. Many are stretched beyond their limits, and when kittens arrive too weak, too young, too sick to survive, or there are simply too many, difficult decisions must be made. The heartbreaking reality is that some of these kittens are euthanised simply because there is no other option
This crisis is preventable. And the solution is simple: desexing.
The heartbreaking truth is that this tragedy stems from a preventable cause – too many owned and semi-owned cats remain undesexed or are desexed too late. Cats can reach sexual maturity at just four months of age, yet many are not desexed until six months or later, if at all, leading to an endless cycle of unplanned litters and needless suffering.
At the Society, far too often, we see kittens seeking refuge at our shelter that are already pregnant with their own kittens!
Why Desexing your Female Cat Matters
Why Desexing your Male Cat Matters
We can break the cycle –but we need your help
At The Cat Protection Society of Victoria, we are committed to reducing cat overpopulation. In 2024, we desexed over 2,440 cats and kittens – including nearly 1,300 female cats. This made an impact, but with a single female cat and her offspring capable of producing up to 5,000 kittens in their lifetime, we must do more.
Our goal for 2025 is to desex an additional 1,250 cats, bringing our total number of cats desexed to over 3,500. At a minimum cost price of $80 per desexing procedure performed we need to raise $100,000 to achieve this.
If we do, we can prevent the birth of over 6 million kittens, having a very real impact on the issue of cat overpopulation in Victoria.
At the same time, we are urging the 70 of 79 local councils across Victoria to introduce compulsory desexing to ensure consistency across the state and create clear, enforceable laws around responsible cat ownership. Right now, countless kittens are being born into a life of suffering—left to fend for themselves on the streets or overwhelmed shelters, pounds and foster groups already at capacity. By making desexing compulsory, we can stop this crisis at the source, reduce the number of unwanted litters, and ultimately save thousands of innocent lives.
Your support can help change the future for vulnerable cats across Victoria.
How you can help:
Together, we can create a world where no kitten is left to suffer alone on the streets. But we cannot do it without you. Will you help us stop the suffering?
How are we tracking?
304 of 600 Cats Desexed in Victoria
Stand up for Cats today
Did you know that in Victoria, desexing is not mandatory for cats under state legislation? Instead, local councils are responsible for enforcing their own rules around cat management. Unfortunately, of the 79 local councils across Victoria, only 9 have introduced mandatory cat desexing laws. In contrast, desexing is mandatory under state legislation in Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, and the ACT, demonstrating a proactive approach to reducing unwanted litters and preventing cat overpopulation.
While The Cat Protection Society of Victoria acknowledges and supports the recent release of the Victorian State Government’s Cat Management Strategy (2025–2035), we believe urgent action is needed specifically around cat desexing. With cat overpopulation continuing to grow, stronger measures must be introduced to ensure widespread and effective desexing policies across the state.
The Cat Protection Society of Victoria believes compulsory desexing is key to preventing unwanted litters, reducing the strain on shelters, pounds, and foster groups, and promoting responsible pet ownership. If we don’t act now, the situation will only worsen. By introducing compulsory desexing across Victoria, we can stop the crisis at its source and save thousands of lives. The Cat Protection Society appreciates that this change won’t happen overnight and will need to be supported by comprehensive education initiatives from Local Councils to ensure a smooth and effective transition.
We are calling on every Victorian Council to introduce compulsory cat desexing for all cats (with specific exemptions to this requirement- click to view) born after January 1, 2026, as well as a policy ensuring that every cat reclaimed from a shelter is desexed and microchipped before returning to their home. These measures would ease the pressure on shelters and reduce the number of stray animals on our streets.
When we act together, we can create lasting change for cat welfare, our communities, and the environment. Join us in the fight to protect innocent lives and create a future where every cat is safe, loved, and protected. Sign now and make your voice heard!
