Cat Show Live launches crowdfunder to support UK cat rescues
These cats don't need sympathy, they need visibility
The Cat Show Live has launched a Rescue100 crowdfunder to give UK cat rescues more visibility.
Building on its #Rescue100 campaign for 2026, the organisation is running a reward-based fundraiser to help smaller rescue organisations reach bigger audiences year round.
With an estimated 2 to 3 million unowned or stray cats in the UK, many rescues are operating at capacity with limited funding and volunteer time.
First introduced at The Cat Show Live in September 2025, #Rescue100 was created to give rescue organisations and the cats in their care a stronger voice within the event and its wider community.
Supporters are being asked to purchase rewards, with proceeds helping fund rescue visibility work linked to #Rescue100.
A key element is the online Rescue Directory, which is free for UK rescue organisations to apply to whether they attend the event or not.
The directory sits within the wider Hope Alley initiative, sponsored by Ever Clean, where visitors can meet rescues and charities and find ways to support them.
Funds raised will be used to expand Hope Alley, the Rescue Directory, year-round rescue campaigns and urgent appeal promotion, helping organisations connect with adopters and supporters.
Rescue organisations currently contribute towards the cost of attending Hope Alley, while The Cat Show Live subsidises a significant proportion of the true cost.
If successful, the fundraiser aims to reduce that barrier further and refund fees already paid by rescues attending in 2026.
More than 25 rescue organisations are already booked to attend, and the first £13,500 raised will enable Hope Alley to become free for all participating rescues.
Samantha Marsh, co-founder of The Cat Show Live, said: “#Rescue100 began because we believed rescue centres deserved a bigger voice within our community and our event.”
By combining its live event at the NEC with digital channels and growing online infrastructure, The Cat Show Live says it wants to build a more practical and sustainable model that gives rescues exposure beyond a single day.
This year’s Cat Show Live at Birmingham NEC is on September 12.