They were so scared 💔
One morning in Cheshire, England, a woman was out walking her dog when a van suddenly screeched to a stop nearby. Confused, she watched as someone inside the vehicle tossed a dog crate out the door before speeding off. Startled, she hurried toward the crate — and was stunned by what she found.
Inside were five black cats, two of them tiny kittens, all crammed together and shaking with fear. The crate had landed in some bushes along a small alley, and the woman quickly pulled it out and carried the frightened animals home. She then contacted the RSPCA, who were horrified by what had happened.
“To throw cats — especially such young kittens — out into the cold like this is absolutely appalling,” said Caren Goodman, deputy chief inspector for the RSPCA.
Once the RSPCA picked up the cats from the woman’s home, they brought them straight to RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for examinations. Two cats were found to be healthy, but the mother cat and her two kittens needed additional care for various health issues.
“These cats are clearly used to people; they’re not feral,” Goodman said. “It really looks like they were transported in that van for the purpose of being abandoned. The kittens are being monitored closely and are receiving treatment for conjunctivitis, and their mum is staying in the hospital as well since she’s underweight.”
The RSPCA was especially saddened that five female black cats had been left in such a cruel manner. Black cats, according to the organization’s data, are over three times more likely to end up in their shelters compared to cats of other colors. In fact, around 700 black cats were waiting for homes in RSPCA shelters just last month — and now five more have joined them.
Even so, everyone is relieved that the cats were discovered when they were. The woman walking her dog acted quickly and likely prevented a tragedy. Now the little feline family is safe, receiving proper care, and will hopefully be ready for loving new homes very soon.