The organisation’s chief executive Peter West is happy to report that this is no longer the case.

Care centres across the state are enjoying below-normal cat and kitten surrenders for this time of year.

It is a result that Mr West attributed to a multitude of factors: better processing policies, foster care systems, social media, more external cat rehoming services, and education.

“Our live release rate (for cats), which are animals that we rehome, has grown immensely in the last few years,” Mr West said.

Mr West said the rate had risen year-on-year from 63 per cent, to 68, 72, and 79 per cent in 2015.

“For the four months of the financial year so far, our rate is 84 per cent,” he said.

Mr West said the organisation was now turning its focus to the cat management act, after changes were passed for the state’s greyhound racing industry earlier this week.

Mr West said the act closed for community consultation about six months ago, and that progress was expected by early 2017.

He said the organisation was looking to push mandatory desexing, microchipping, and vaccinating to be included in the act, as well as confinement regulations.”

Despite the drop in cat and kitten numbers, Mr West stressed that there were still felines of all ages looking for forever homes at the state’s care centres.