Cat and five kittens "lucky to be alive" after being dumped in cardboard box in Oldham

The cat and her five kittens were dumped in Oldham.

The RSPCA is appealing for information to find the 'callous' person who dumped a mum and her five kittens in a sealed-up cardboard box in Oldham.

A dog walker came across the box, which was dumped in a remote spot in a field near Ripponden Road, on Monday afternoon.
 
She heard some noises and, when she went to investigate, she came across the box and found the terrified cat and her kittens aged about two-to-three weeks old. 

She took the felines to the Oldham branch of the RSPCA and Animal Collection Officer Jess Pierce was sent to investigate.

Jess said: "The mum and kittens were dumped in the middle of a field which makes me think the person responsible had gone out of their way for them not to be found.

"They had no food or water and we have no idea how long they had been left.  

"It is also a good job they were found as they would have undoubtedly suffered a long and lingering death if they were not.

"The box had a few holes in the top and were luckily found on a cooler evening or the recent heat would have probably killed them.

"They must have been so terrified to be dumped like this and were left in such a helpless position. 

"It it such a callous thing to do - to simply abandon pets like rubbish and to leave them in such a vulnerable and life-threatening situation is completely unacceptable. 

"I am now appealing for anyone who knows who did this to contact the RSPCA appeals line on 0800 123 8018."