The RSPCA is appealing for information after a cat is dumped with the rubbish.
Holly the cat was found shut inside a dark plastic crate – marked with ‘Fragile’ tape – wrapped up in a bin bag and dumped by the bins. The poor black and white cat was found in Bedfordshire last week by a woman putting her rubbish out and was terrified and confused.
RSPCA animal collection officer (ACO) Kate Wright was called to collect the puss on Thursday (6 December). She said: “A lady who lives in the block of flats was putting out her rubbish when she saw the box. She moved it and felt something move inside.
“When she looked inside, she was aghast to find the block bin lines with yellow drawstrings pulled tight and, inside, she was horrified to find a cat. It’s a miracle this cat had bot suffocated so she immediately removed her and put her in her car, which was parked nearby before getting a pet carrier to secure her.”
The quick-thinking woman called the RSPCA and ACO Wright went to Holly Acre, in Dunstable, to collect the cat.
ACO Wright added: “Amazingly the cat – who I’ve named Holly – is okay but is unsurprisingly completely terrified. She’s now at the vets having treatment for a flea allergy and her skin is quite scabby and sore.”
The middle-aged cat isn’t microchipped and wasn’t wearing a collar or ID tag. It’s unclear where she has come from, but the RSPCA is now appealing for anything with information to get in touch by calling 0300 123 8018.
“It’s unthinkable to imagine what may have happened to Holly had this wonderful woman not have saved her,” ACO Wright said. “She could have suffocated inside the bin liner or she would have been thrown inside the refuse lorry and crushed to death. Someone has obviously intentionally disposed of her in this way, which is absolutely shocking.”
The RSPCA is expecting to take more than 10,000 animals into care this winter. Last year (2017), the charity rescued 2,563 cats in December alone.
Thankfully Holly is now safe, but the charity is asking animal lovers to help provide a warm, safe bed, food and care to thousands more animals like her who could be facing cruelty, neglect and suffering this Christmas by supporting their campaign, Delivering Kindness at Christmas.
