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A community group from Everton FC is helping to save stray cats by building mini mansions to help keep them safe.

Everton is among the 20 groups involved in the scheme - with another group including criminals doing the work as part of their probation.

The kitty pads are made of a ­polystyrene box, placed inside a plastic storage box - reports Mirror Online.

There are two doors cut into the sides so the cats can come and go from their new homes.

The groups then lay down a bed of straw for the strays to make the miniature houses more comfortable.

The work is part of a Cat Census scheme being carried out by charity Cats Protection. It is the first of its kind, tracking and helping strays living on the streets of Britain.

Currently more than 320 stray cats prowl the streets in Everton.

According to research from Cats Protection, this problem has stemmed from the failure of owners to neuter pet cats.

Cats Protection’s Community Neutering Officer, Rachele Follini, says: “Crucially, neutering also helps prevent outdoor cat populations growing out of control.

(Image: Wikicommons)

"Cats are prolific breeders, with females capable of having up to 18 kittens a year, so neutering really is essential to keeping numbers under control.”

The Liverpool Vet School is also helping out for free, neutering the stray animals to help keep numbers down.

Allan Fitzsimmons, placement co-ordinator at West Yorkshire ­Community Rehabilitation Company is one of the people involved in the scheme, he said: "It is possibly the most unusual job we have done – building homes for stray cats.

“Cats Protection provided us with the design and materials, including circular saws, and we got cracking on producing the shelters. It’s good to know that such a simple design can make such a big difference and we were very happy to have been able to help.”