Five kittens with umbilical cords still attached found dumped in Hull

Five kittens and their mother found dumped in a sealed cardboard box would have suffered a lingering death had they not been found by a local dog walker.

The RSPCA is now appealing for information after the discovery was made in Beverley and Barmston Drain, off Greenwood Avenue, at 9.30am on Thursday May 12.

A woman's dog had gone exploring in some nearby bushes and had taken a great interest in a discarded box and started barking at it. 

The woman went to investigate and could see a corner had a hole in it and then she saw a cat’s nose poking through. When she opened up the box she saw the mum was with five kittens. They still had their umbilical cords attached so were aged only a few days old.

The woman called her husband and the couple took the mum and kittens home and reported the matter to the RSPCA.

Hannah Pinder, animal care assistant at the Hull branch, said: “The kittens were in good health and so it is clear they had been in a home environment. 

“The mother is only young herself and aged around one or two years old-  but she is doing great with her babies who are feeding well.

“On Monday we placed them in a foster home as this is more of a natural environment for them and it will help get them ready once they are old enough to be put up for adoption.”

Laura is now keen to trace the person responsible for abandoning the young mum and her kittens and is appealing for information.

She said: “It appears that someone has decided they could not cope with the mother and kittens and so decided to abandon them like pieces of rubbish in a box under a bush with no food or water.

“It was very fortunate that a dog came across the box and alerted his owner or the poor cat and kittens would have probably suffered a lingering death.

“I am keen to trace anyone who knows who the tortoiseshell mum and her kittens belonged to - or anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area prior to the abandonment.” 

Anyone with information should call the RSPCA appeals telephone number on 0300 123 8018.