RSPCA issues abandonment plea after four-week-old kittens dumped in box

Two kittens believed to be as young as four weeks old are being treated for cat flu after they were found abandoned in a box in Warwickshire.

The case has been highlighted by the RSPCA after its latest figures revealed an increase in reported abandonments last month compared to the same period in 2022.

Charity officials said they were alerted yesterday morning (29 March) after a member of the public heard meowing coming from the box, which had been dumped near a school in Rugby.

Charity branch

Rescue officer Jack Curran, who went to the scene, said the kittens were “not very well at all” when they were found and are now in the care of one of the charity’s branches.

He added: “They have been seen by a vet who was very concerned about what happened to them, as it is clear that they suffered.

“For now, they are being treated with anti-inflammatories, antibiotics and eye drops, and we hope that they will make a recovery soon.”

The charity has also revealed that it received 1,324 reports of animals being abandoned in February – an increase of 8%, or around 100 individual cases, on the same month last year.

‘Never acceptable’

Mr Curran said: “It is never acceptable to abandon an animal, even if you think you are doing it with good intentions because you can’t afford veterinary fees.

“It is a cruel way to treat an animal. If you have a pet who needs veterinary care, there is financial help out there – the last thing you should do is dump them.”

Anyone with information about the Rugby incident can telephone the RSPCA appeals line on 0300 1238018.