Seven newborn kittens rescued from Stoke-on-Trent barn after mum dies following cycling accident

Seven newborn kittens have been rescued from a farm barn in Stoke-on-Trent.

The kittens were orphaned after their mum died following an accident in which she was hit by a cyclist.

The person who found the injured cat in the road knew she had recently given birth to the kittens so called the RSPCA to help.

Emma Dwan, the Animal Collection Officer who went to pick up the two week old kittens, said that they were "very lucky" that someone had been keeping an eye on their mum.

Emma added: "The caller knew she was living amongst the straw bales in one of the barns and that she had given birth recently."

"After she’d rushed the cat to the vets, she called us to care for the kittens knowing they wouldn’t last long without their mum. She’d only briefly checked on them before I got there and she thought there were five babies but we found seven all cuddled up in the hay."

Emma took the kittens home to warm them up and hand feed them. She says she didn't get much sleep because the kittens had to be fed round the clock.

The tiny cats are now with a foster carer and will be found a new home when they are old enough.