Haworth Cat Rescue was founded on 1 February 1992 by Sara Atkinson in response to the urgent local need to provide a safe haven for the many abandoned and neglected cats and kittens in the area.  In 1997 Sara acquired a registered charity status as Haworth Animal Welfare (Cat Rescue) with charity registration number 1058218.  In the following year it earned the accolade of Best Cat Rescue in Britain awarded by the Friskies Petcare Foundation.  

Haworth Cat Rescue changed its name to Yorkshire Cat Rescue in 2013 to reflect the increased area covered (approx 700 square miles).  In 2015 the charity’s trustees changed its legal status and it became a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), with a new registered charity number – 1160138.

From 2014 the charity began a programme of improvement, and from January 2014 to December 2016 renovated its four pen units and the accommodation in the Kitten House to bring the accommodation up-to-date and improve hygiene and feline well-being.

The number of cats rescued and rehomed has grown year on year.

Over the years the charity’s reputation for excellence and standards of cat care has steadily grown. The charity takes a pro-active approach to rehoming, and works with difficult cats to ensure that they can be rehabilitated and ultimately find suitable loving homes.

Yorkshire Cat Rescue is a member of The Association of Dogs and Cats Homes and works alongside other member charities to ensure the wellbeing of cats.