Four kittens were found abandoned and huddled together in a box in South Yorkshire.
A member of the public found the kittens dumped in some bushes of the High Street in Doncaster on Monday (16 November) and took them home before calling the RSPCA.
A spokesperson for the animal welfare charity said: “The kittens – one black and one white and three tortoiseshell – had been crammed inside an Amazon Prime box and tossed into some bushes. Those little ones were very lucky to have been found before getting too cold in this wintry weather. The woman was concerned as the kittens were so little and one seemed particularly lethargic.”
Luckily, RSPCA officer Graeme Petty was able to collect the kittens before his colleague, Ben Cottle-Shaw took them to RSPCA Barnsley & District branch nearby where they were given check-ups and, thankfully, clean bills of health.
It’s believed the kittens, all female, are aged around six weeks. They’re a little underweight so are being cared for by a fosterer and are said to be doing well and starting to come out of their shells and begin to play.
They’ll remain with the charity until they’re old enough to begin their search for new homes.
“Unfortunately, these kittens are just the tip of the iceberg,” a spokesperson added. “We’re bracing for the toughest Christmas yet as the financial strain from the Coronavirus pandemic impacts families across the country.
“We’re extremely concerned that as people lose their jobs and are hit with higher costs due to the pandemic, that more pets could become neglected or be abandoned, like these little ones, as families struggle to cope. That’s why we’re appealing to the public to Join the Christmas Rescue and help us help the animals who need us this winter.”
To help the RSPCA this winter visit www.rspca.org.uk/xmas
