Who knows how long they were in there.
When staff at a veterinary clinic in the U.K. found a rectangular planter box outside their door, they had no idea what they were about to discover.
The box was wrapped in plastic and sealed with duct tape. Only a few small holes had been poked through the top so air could get inside. Attached to it was a note that read, “Cat & 3 kids,” along with the words “Found on side road” and a phone number.
But when staff opened the box, they realized the note was wrong.
There was not one cat with three kittens inside. Instead, three heavily pregnant adult cats had been squeezed together into the sealed planter.
No one knows exactly how long the cats had been trapped there, though rescuers believe they may have been left inside overnight. When staff tried calling the number written on the note, it didn’t work.
Yorkshire Cat Rescue became one of the groups helping the cats. Sarah Avison, the rescue’s cat care manager, was deeply upset thinking about what the animals had endured. Being packed into a small container would have been frightening and uncomfortable for any cat, but especially for three cats who were pregnant.
Avison also worried about what could have happened if the cats had managed to break free before anyone found them. They might have given birth outside, gotten lost or been hit by a car.
Yorkshire Cat Rescue took in two of the cats, named Charlie and Cherry, while another rescue agreed to care for the third.
Not long after arriving safely, both Charlie and Cherry gave birth.
Charlie had four kittens, who were named Augustus, Josephine, Oompa and Loompa. Cherry later welcomed two kittens, named Wonka and Humbug. The rescue chose a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory theme for the babies’ names.
Despite the frightening way their story began, the cats are doing well. Charlie, Cherry and their kittens have moved into a foster home, where they can rest and recover in a calm, safe place until they are ready for adoption.
Cherry is a little more reserved, which is understandable after everything she went through, but both mother cats are eating well and settling in. Rescuers say they have no major health concerns and describe the cats as lovely.
For Avison and the rescue team, helping Charlie and Cherry has been emotional but rewarding. After being abandoned in such a cruel way, the cats are finally learning that there are people who will treat them with kindness.