Dog walker praised for saving three kittens found dumped in plastic bag on Christmas Eve
Holly, Sprout and Tinsel are looking for their forever home after being abandoned on Christmas Eve
Three kittens that were dumped in a plastic bag in Southampton on Christmas Eve are in need of a new home.
The abandoned trio were cold, wet and hungry when they were discovered by a dog walker in Totton.
Unsure what to do with the kittens, the man called the local Cats Protection shop for help. Within the hour, they were collected and taken into foster care.
The tabby has been named Holly, the all-black kitten has been named Sprout and the black kitten with a few flecks of white is Tinsel.
Mel Gunn, Cats Protection Shop Manager, said: "A gentleman rang us as soon as we opened to say he’d found three kittens dumped in a plastic carrier while he was out walking his dog. I could hear he was shaken at the discovery and told him to bring them straight to us and we’d contact our local rehoming branch.
"When he arrived he was quite upset and shaken and said he found the carrier covered in a soaking wet towel. The towel inside the carrier was soaked in urine and the kittens were terrified.
"We held them close to help them warm up then cleared out our donation bin to keep them safe. We made them comfortable with towels that had been donated for cats as well as some kitten food that we had luckily received. They were so hungry and immediately gobbled down two pouches."
Carolyne Kemp from Cats Protection says the kittens will have a full health check before they're rehomed
Cats Protection Coordinator, Carolyne Kemp, said: "The kittens were extremely lucky to be found. We think they are only about six weeks old, too young to be away from their mother, who should be caring for them until they are eight weeks old at least.
"They are lovely little kittens, friendly and surprisingly a good weight. We will never know how they came to be dumped but there is never any excuse to leave kittens or cats to fend for themselves. These kittens would certainly have died if they hadn’t been found when they were.
"We would like to thank the dog walker for his quick-thinking and kindness. His actions meant that these little ones are truly a Christmas miracle and now will be kept safe and found new loving homes once they’re older."
Cats Protection has seen a 34% increase in cases of abandonment in 2024.
61% of the cats taken in by the volunteers in Southampton this year have been as a result of abandonments, owners not being able to cope with cat care costs or unwanted litters of kittens.
Carolyne adds: "We have really seen the cost of living have an impact on owners’ ability to care for their cats this year.
"We will always help where we can but if people are struggling we would urge them to get in touch rather than abandon their cats as we can support them until a space is available."
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