Strict vetting by a cat and kitten welfare charity has ensured more of its feline residents find suitable new homes.

Yorkshire Cat Rescue founder Sara Atkinson said the group’s match-making policy has seen the return rate for cats that do not settle in fall from 4.7 per cent in 2010 to 2.8 per cent in 2013.

“We treasure every person who visits with a view to adopting a cat or kitten, so take the responsibility of finding them the right companion extremely seriously,” she said.

“The well-being of existing household pets should always take precedence.”