Adopt a 'Gareth Morgan Day' kitty

The Wairarapa SPCA is appealing to all cat lovers to adopt one of its 70 feline friends for its "Gareth Morgan Day".

SPCA manager Val Ball said the Gareth Morgan Day, held yesterday and today, was calling for people to adopt desexed kittens to help with the SPCA's costs of caring for them all.

Mrs Ball said Mr Morgan's campaign to eradicate cats had negatively impacted on the number of people adopting cats.

"He's made people aware that there are lots of cats and what's happening for us is that we are not doing many adoptions.

"We can't blame him for that, we can only admit that people are being more responsible - but, at the end of the day, we've got 70 cats that need homes and the reality is none of them deserve to die."

Mrs Ball said the day was all about grabbing people's attention and making them aware of the need to desex their cats.

"Using his name was a drawcard and in a way taking the mickey out of him."

The current tally of 70 cats is the most Wairarapa SPCA has ever had. "We're trying to see if any other SPCAs will take some off us but they are all in the same boat."

Mrs Ball says their annual desexing campaign starts in April and offers people a reduced price for desexing at $30, the SPCA pay the other $65.

The SPCA ask that people phone first and arrange a time.