From rubbish to rescue: Abandoned cat and kittens found loving new homes
A mother cat and her newborn kittens, cruelly abandoned in a bin, are now safe and looking forward to brighter futures filled with love.
In March, Laura and her tiny litter were discovered trapped in an industrial waste bin in Brixton, London, and rushed to our member charity Blue Cross’ Victoria animal hospital.
A shocking discovery
Amanda, a London Welfare Officer, explained: “One of our vet nurses received a call from her sister, who had found a mum and kittens in an industrial bin at a recreation centre. The lid was closed, so we can only assume that she was put in the bin.”
When found, Laura was terrified – desperately huddled in a corner, trying to keep her days-old kittens alive. Tragically, one kitten had already died. The remaining five were weak, clinging to life.
Dedicated care and recovery
At the hospital, Laura was initially too stressed to feed her kittens. But once she had eaten a proper meal and settled in, her maternal instincts shone through.
“She doted on her kittens,” Amanda recalls. “She would explore the cat ward briefly but always returned quickly to check they were okay.”
The kittens – lovingly named Puddle, Marsh, Spring, Ocean, and River – began to thrive under their mum’s care and the expert support of the Blue Cross team.
New beginnings
Once strong enough, the feline family were transferred to Blue Cross’ Burford Rehoming Centre in Oxfordshire. After 60 days in care, the kittens went off to their forever homes at just eight weeks old – and Laura soon followed.
Their happy ending could so easily have been very different.
“It’s horrifying to think what could have happened if they hadn’t been spotted when the finder went to put rubbish in the bin,” Amanda says. “We are seeing more and more animals being abandoned. We know people are struggling, but that is never an excuse to abandon animals in such a cruel way.”
Hope for abandoned cats
Last year alone, 3,565 cats like Laura and her kittens found safe, loving homes thanks to the kindness of people like you.
Your continued support is vital to give abandoned animals the second chance they deserve.