THESE furry felines are among dozens of ginger cats of all shapes and sizes on the lookout for a new home.

Almost 40 cats and kittens were found living together in a rural house where their breeding had got out of control.

Most of the cats are ginger or variants of ginger, although the occasional black and white and tortoiseshell was also found.

They were discovered when their elderly owner became ill and had to be admitted to hospital.

When relatives discovered the number of cats in her home, they contacted the RSPCA for help. About 30 of the cats are being cared for by the RSPCA team at the charity’s Patcham centre in Brighton.

The others are still at the house as inspectors work to round them all up and take them to Patcham.

Cheryl Wood from the centre said: “They have all been regularly fed and generally seem to be OK although one or two have some sniffles and an infection which is being treated. They have also had to have their jabs.

“They have not been badly treated at all but obviously that is far too many cats for one person to manage. Their sheer number just brings home how important it is to get your pets neutered and avoid this happening.”

The cats are all a little bit shy but they are coming around and some of them are ready for a new home.

Staff at the centre have said the cats have different types of temperaments, with some more suited to living in a flat and not going out while others may prefer a garden.

The animals should not be with families who have very young children but older children should be OK.

The charity hopes the animals will all find a home relatively quickly.

Ms Wood said: “Ginger cats are always very popular and there are so many here and with so many different personalities that I think we have plenty to suit different people. We are pretty confident we can find the right cat for the right home.”

The discovery of the ginger cats comes shortly after more than 20 black cats were discovered living in a cramped bedsit in Haywards Heath and sent to the Cats Protection rehoming centre near Lewes.

Anyone interested in offering the cats a home should call 01273 554218 or visit the centre in London Road on Tuesdays to Sundays from 10.30am to 4pm.