RSPCA staff are hoping for a happy ending for a little kitten who was rescued just after the stroke of midnight after being abandoned.
A member of the public contacted the animal welfare charity after finding the tiny black kitten dumped in a bag by the Trent and Mersey Canal in Stoke-on-Trent.
RSPCA Animal Collection Officer Laura Baker went to collect the cat – thought to be around six-weeks old – just after midnight on 12 August. 
She said: “I was on call and it was the first job of the day and the call came through just after midnight. Little Cinderella was lucky that her own Knight in Shining Armour spotted her and took her home before calling us to help. He said she was unresponsive, weak and cold to the touch.
“She’s now safe in our care and, when she’s old enough, she’ll be ready to find a home. We’re sure her fairy tale will have a happy ever after.”
Every year the RSPCA is left fighting a cat crisis over the summer months as the charity’s centres take in three cats every hour.
Most kittens are typically born between April and September which means during the ‘kitten season’ the charity ends up with large amounts of young cats coming into its care.
The charity has also seen a shocking peak in abandonments over the summer period with 58% more cats being dumped in July last year compared to January (July: 9,691. January 3,990).
Laura added: “It’s extremely busy for us this time of year and we have taken an average of 86 cats every day. Unfortunately, the UK is facing a cat overpopulation crisis and many unwanted cats and unplanned litters of kittens are ending up in rescue centres.
“That’s why we’d urge anyone thinking of getting a cat to consider the long-term commitment involved in properly caring for that cat before deciding to bring one home. We’d also urge all cat owners to ensure their pet is neutered to avoid any unplanned litters.”
For more information about caring for a cat, you can visit www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/cats. And go to www.rspca.org.uk/findapet to offer a rescue cat a new home.
