On 9 May 2025, British charity Wisteria Cat Rescue shared details of a shocking case of animal abandonment that quickly sparked outrage online.
In a social media post, the local rescue group explained that a cat had been dumped by the side of the road while still inside its carrier. A passing dog walker spotted the carrier and immediately alerted the rescue. But the situation was worse than it first appeared: when volunteers arrived at the scene, they made a disturbing discovery.
The carrier had burst open
Likely thrown or dropped without care, the carrier had not withstood the impact and had sprung open. What was already a traumatic abandonment became even more dangerous. Now loose beside a busy road, the cat could easily have been struck by a passing vehicle.
Miraculously, the volunteer found the terrified cat still beside the open carrier. Frozen with fear, the cat appeared disoriented, as if waiting for its owner to return.
Hope for the future
Wisteria Cat Rescue expressed its dismay in a Facebook post. The group also noted that the carrier contained baby bedding, suggesting the abandonment may have followed the arrival of a new child in the home. The group pointedly expressed hope that the child would receive more compassion than the cat had.
Now safe, the cat, named Iris, was found to be starving and without a microchip.
She is recovering in the rescue's care and will soon be available for adoption.
