A quiet morning walk in Cheshire, England, turned into a nightmare when a woman walking her dog saw a van screech to a stop nearby. Before she could make sense of what was happening, someone inside the vehicle flung a crate out onto the roadside — and sped away.
Horrified, the woman ran toward the crate. Inside, she found five black cats — a mother and her kittens — pressed tightly together, shaking with fear.
The crate had landed in bushes along a narrow alleyway, offering little protection from the cold. Without hesitation, the woman carried the cats back to her home and contacted the RSPCA, who were stunned by what the animals had endured.
“To throw cats — including such young kittens — out into the cold at this time of year is a horrific thing to do,” said Caren Goodman, deputy chief inspector with the RSPCA, in a press release.
RSPCA officers quickly collected the cats and transported them to RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital for urgent medical checks. Two of the adult cats were given the all-clear, but the mother and her two kittens needed continued care.
“These are very domesticated cats, not feral,” Goodman said. “They were transported in a van with the clear intention of abandoning them. The kittens are being treated for conjunctivitis, and their mother is underweight, so all three remain in hospital for monitoring.”
The RSPCA says the case is especially heartbreaking because black cats are already among the most vulnerable animals in their care. Statistics show black cats are three times more likely to end up in shelters than cats of other colors. Just last month, around 700 black cats were waiting for homes at RSPCA shelters — and now this family has been added to that number.
Still, rescuers are grateful this story didn’t end in tragedy. Thanks to one alert dog walker who trusted her instincts and acted quickly, the cats were saved.
Now safe and warm under the RSPCA’s care, the little family has a second chance — and rescuers hope they’ll soon find the loving homes they so clearly deserve. 🐾
