Editing Cats Protection (section)

==Operations==
{{More citations needed section|date=February 2021}}
[[File:Cats Protection charity shop, Town Street, Horsforth (30th December 2013).JPG|thumb|right|Cats Protection charity shop in [[Horsforth]], [[Leeds]]]]

In 2017, the charity helped nearly 193,000 cats (rehoming around 43,000 of these and neutering 153,000). Its network had 36 centres, 250+ volunteer-run branches, 121 charity shops and approximately 10,200 volunteers and staff located throughout the UK. The charity's income for 2017 was £62.9 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Showcharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=203644&SubsidiaryNumber=0|title=Home|date=|publisher=Charity Commission|accessdate=30 June 2014|archive-date=5 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205162853/http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/ShowCharity/RegisterOfCharities/CharityWithPartB.aspx?RegisteredCharityNumber=203644&SubsidiaryNumber=0|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2011, the charity announced that it had helped more than one million cats over the previous five years, 80% of this figure being neutering and 20% being rehoming.

Alongside rehoming cats and kittens, the charity runs a neutering scheme for owners on a limited income, and a National Information Line. In addition, they monitor (and feed) feral colonies in the area including trapping, neutering and re-releasing (where possible) feral cats back to where they came from. They also work to educate adults and children about cat welfare, and run talks and educational resource programmes across the UK.

===Volunteer branches===
The charity operates in two ways: volunteer-run branches and centres. The main difference is that volunteer-run branches are people with a spare room or space in a garden for a pen (or two). Instead of visiting a dedicated centre, the person wishing to adopt a cat usually visits it in another person's home.

===Adoption centres===
[[File:235 Lady and Bella (1).jpg|alt=Two cats (Lady and Bella) sitting in a Cats Protection adoption centre in London. Both were subsequently adopted.|thumb|Two cats (Lady and Bella) sitting in a Cats Protection adoption centre in London. Both were subsequently adopted.]]
Dedicated centres are of varying size and have paid staff in addition to volunteers on their team. The vast majority of the public visit these places to adopt a cat or a kitten. Centres are funded centrally by the charity, though many also have "Friends of..." groups that raise funds locally. In addition, there is often the chance of cat sponsorship, where members of the public can sponsor a pen in return for a monthly or annual donation. Sponsors receive regular updates on the cats using their pens.

In 2002, Cats Protection acquired the Isle of Thorns estate from the [[University of Sussex]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/bulletin/22feb02/article7.shtml |title=Bulletin - University of Sussex Newsletter Isle of Thorns sold Friday 22 February 2002 |publisher=Sussex.ac.uk |date=22 February 2002 |accessdate=30 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608140135/http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/bulletin/22feb02/article7.shtml |archive-date=8 June 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> The estate is now the National Cat Centre.

In 2008, the charity was affected by the [[2008–2011_Icelandic_financial_crisis|financial markets crisis emanating from Iceland]], losing £11.2 million of its financial reserves. In 2012, having suffered continuing financial losses, the charity was forced to make over 80 staff redundant, the majority of these being staff working on the operational front line in adoption centres or supporting branches.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Youde|first=Kate|date=24 September 2012|title=Cats Protection plans to make 80 employees redundant|url=https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/cats-protection-plans-80-employees-redundant/finance/article/1151428|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630082122/https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/cats-protection-plans-80-employees-redundant/finance/article/1151428 |archive-date=30 June 2020 |access-date=28 June 2020|website=Third Sector}}</ref>