CATS Matter, the UKs only feline road traffic accident group is raising awareness of pregnant or nursing cats that have been hit by cars during the current kitten season.

Although cats can breed nearly all year round, kitten season tends to run from April to late autumn, so it is in full swing currently.

Cats Matter strongly advise cat owners to spay and neuter their cats before allowing them outside.

During kitten season, a cat tragically hit by a car could potentially either be pregnant, or be a nursing queen with kittens. Cats Matter advise people to take injured and deceased cats to a veterinarian for both treatment and the scanning of microchips so deceased cats can be reunited with their owners.

There is a very small window of opportunity for vets to potentially save the kittens of a deceased mother cat, so drivers are urged to seek help immediately even if the cat is deceased.

A nursing cat, which is either taken to the vets for treatment or due to being deceased, will have kittens close by waiting for their mother to return, when sadly she never will.

Local rescue centres can help in the search for the orphaned kittens, which will ultimately save their lives.

Cats Matter have created a blog which has all the information drivers need to potentially save numerous lives and can be found at: https://www.catsmatter.org/single-post/pregnant-and-nursing-road-accident-victims .

Drivers will never be financially liable for taking an injured or deceased cat they have either ran over, or have found roadside, to a vets, and we urge drivers to spare just a little of their time to help.