The incident happened while a woman was peacefully walking her dog. A van suddenly screeched to a halt in front of her for no apparent reason. Before she could process what was happening, a pet carrier was thrown from the vehicle, and the driver sped away.
In shock, the dog walker rushed over to the carrier, which had been thrown into some bushes at the side of a lane. Inside, she discovered five black cats, including two kittens, huddled together. They were terrified, freezing cold, and barely moving. She immediately took them home before contacting the RSPCA.
A family cruelly discarded
In a statement, the animal welfare charity expressed its outrage.
Once rescued, the five cats were taken to the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for an initial health check. Two of them were in relatively good condition, but the mother and her two kittens had to be hospitalised. The little ones were suffering from conjunctivitis, which required treatment, and their mother was in a more fragile state overall.
The RSPCA has no doubt that these cats were deliberately abandoned. "They are very domesticated cats, not feral animals," the organisation confirmed.
Highlighting a worrying trend
The case also highlights a worrying phenomenon: black cats are over-represented in British rescue centres. The RSPCA notes that they are three times more likely to be abandoned than cats of other colours. Last month, around 700 black cats were already waiting for a family in the charity's shelters. The arrival of this little family unfortunately adds to that number.
Fortunately, their rescuer did the right thing at the right time. If she hadn't retrieved the carrier immediately, the cats could have died from the cold or injured themselves trying to escape. Now in safe hands, they should be ready for adoption once they have fully recovered.
