I think Covid was the start of it -many people had nothing to do so took on dogs and cats, and even horses. In fact I saw a story just the other day about an alpaca being more or less dumped on a farm
Well done for taking on these cats. My last one was from CP. She had been removed from her previous home for neglect. I had her for four years, till she was almost 18. She was a lovely couthy old girl, and put up with two rambunctious brittanys who wanted her to play with them. But I don't feel at my age I should take on another one.