CUTE cats and cuddly kittens sought new homes this weekend when a charity welcomed animal lovers to its summer adoptathon.

County Durham-based charity, Cats R Us, teamed up with the Wear Valley and Darlington branch of Cats Protection on Saturday afternoon (August 29) to help place rescue cats with loving owners.

At an open event at Dabble Duck Industrial Estate, Shildon, the partnership found permanent homes for four fun-loving felines with eight other potential parents expressing an interest. This is the third event Cats R Us has held this year, with events in January and May being equally successful.

Trustee, Marion Maychell, 60, from Shildon, said: “Today was an opportunity for people to come along and see a wide variety of cats. They usually live in foster homes, but we’ve brought them here to see if people want to adopt them.

“Cats are all vaccinated, micro-chipped, flea and worm-treated and neutered if necessary. Some of these cats have never had human contact so foster carers socialise them too. All of this happens before cats are put up for adoption.”

The charity rehomes between 100 and 130 cats-a-year and Ms Maychell estimates around 2,500 cats have been found homes since the charity began in 1994.

She added: “If people meet the animals, they sell themselves. They fall in love with them. It’s all about the chemistry, really.”