A cat and her newborn kittens had a miraculous escape after being found abandoned in a closed industrial bin in London.
The cat, now named Laura, was huddled in the corner of the bin alongside her days-old litter, clinging to life.
Tragically, one of her kittens didn’t survive.
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The bin’s lid had been shut tight, leading rescuers to believe the animals were deliberately dumped and left for dead.
The tiny family was discovered by chance in Brixton, south London, and rescued just in time by national pet charity Blue Cross.
“It’s horrifying to think what could have happened to them if they hadn’t been spotted,” said Amanda Rumball, London Welfare Officer at Blue Cross.
The group was taken to the charity’s Victoria animal hospital, where Laura was initially too stressed to feed her surviving five kittens.
But after some warmth, food and care, the young mum’s instincts kicked in.
Amanda said: “She doted on her kittens.
“She would leave their side for a short wander but always came straight back to check on them.”
The kittens were named Puddle, Marsh, Spring, Ocean and River, and were later fostered by Amanda herself to help them recover from the trauma.
She added: “They were nervous at first, but we soon saw their playful side come out.”
After spending 60 days in Blue Cross care, the kittens were re-homed from the charity’s centre in Burford, Oxfordshire, once they were eight weeks old.
Laura wasn’t far behind and has since found a loving new family.
But their story has shocked animal lovers and raised alarm bells about a rise in pet abandonment.
Amanda said: “We are seeing more and more animals being dumped like this.
“We know people are struggling, but that’s never an excuse to abandon animals in such a cruel way.”
Social media users reacted with heartbreak after footage of the rescued kittens was shared by Need To Know.
One user commented: “So sad how can people be so cruel?”
Another added: “I am horrified that this is happening more and more. Thank goodness they were found and are now with you. So sad that one little baby did not make it.”
”My goodness, how anyone could be so heartless is beyond my comprehension. Thank you for saving the remaining kittens and their strong momma,” one person wrote.
Someone else added: “People are awful. I’m so glad they all found the loving homes they deserve.”
Blue Cross is now urging people to seek help if they can no longer care for pets, rather than leaving them in dangerous situations.
Amanda said: “These kittens are lucky to be alive.
“This could have ended very differently.”
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