RSPCA urges cat owners to desex pets

CAT owners are being urged to desex their pets as the RSPCA NSW euthanases dozens of unwanted kittens daily.

The RSPCA says its shelter at Yagoona in Sydney's south west is near capacity and struggling to cope with the high numbers of cats and kittens being surrendered.

In the 2007-08 financial year, RSPCA NSW collected 20,190 cats and kittens.

In December alone 890 cats and kittens were surrendered to the shelter.

RSPCA NSW chief executive Steve Coleman says staff are devastated by the number of healthy kittens coming in.

"We are seeing litter after litter of kittens and we are forced to put many to sleep because we simply don't have the room to house them," Mr Coleman said.

"It's a great shame that we are faced with this traumatic job on a daily basis because some people don't take responsibility and desex their pets."