A city resident was told she was unable to surrender kittens this month at the city's RSPCA shelter and there was no alternative place for the felines to be taken to.

An RSPCA spokesman said the Warrnambool shelter was operating at near capacity with the number of cats it could take in.

"This has been partly driven by a decrease in adoptions and an increase in animals coming into our care via our inspectorate," the spokesman said.

"Another contributing factor is we need more foster carers in the local area who can take an animal into their home for a temporary period of time.

"If a member of the community has an animal they need to surrender, it's essential they call ahead and make an appointment."

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The spokesman said anyone dropping off an animal had to provide photo identification with their residential address.

He said if the RSPCA was unable to take in a feline, people were required to contact the local council.

In Warrnambool, the council's animal shelter is the RSPCA which means there is no alternatives if an animal was rejected.

"The shelter is required to accept dogs and cats from within the Warrnambool municipality if the owner is no longer willing or able to care for the animal," a Warrnambool City Council spokesman said.

"The shelter's priority is to have animals re-claimed or re-homed, which the shelter goes to great lengths to do this.

"In some cases if this is not achievable, an animal may as a last resort be euthanised in accordance with the Domestic Animals Act."

Section 33A of the act said council animal shelters and pounds must accept surrendered animals in the municipal district given to them if the owner was no longer wiling to care for the animal.

It said once surrendered, ownership was passed onto the council, which must deal with the animal in accordance with the act.

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