Cat-lovers are needed to re-home and care for felines in Merton when a new centre opens in the borough.

Cats Protection is looking for volunteers to help look after cats in their own homes for a few weeks at a time.

The charity is opening a new London Homing Centre in Mitcham next year.

Wimbledon Times:

Feeding time

Volunteer team leader, Stephanie Osborne said: "This new centre is opening to help cope with the huge demand in the London area.

"We’ve taken in 620 cats in north London alone this year, up 30 per cent from last year.

"That would’ve been impossible without the invaluable help of our volunteer fosterers."

Fostering cats means looking after a cat in your home, usually for a couple of weeks at a time, before it is adopted by a new owner.

There are lots of reasons cats need fostering, and the more people who volunteer the more animals the Cats Protection can help.

To find out more about fostering email Stephanie Osborne at southlondon@cats.org.uk or visit the volunteering page at cats.org.uk.