A trio of kittens were found dumped in a bag in a wooded area on Royton last week.

The three-month-old kittens were discarded in a cat carrier in a black bag in a woodland patch off Cecil Street on Thursday, May 2, at around 8.35am.

The kittens, a tabby, a black cat and a black and white cat, were fortunately found by a passer-by who took them into the care of RSPCA Southport, Orsmkirk and District branch.

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RSPCA animal rescue officer Alison Hasler said: “We’d very much like to thank the member of the public who found these kittens and took them to the vets.

“They must have been so frightened being left on their own.

"The kittens, who are in perfect health, are around about three months old and are now in the care of RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch.

“The tabby has been called Cheerio and he is quite shy, the black cat has been named Midnight and the black and white kitten has been called Houdini.

"He has a lovely little personality as he is very playful. They were all bright and active."

While the RSPCA is urging anyone with information about the kittens to get in touch by calling 0300 8018 quoting 01258603, the charity is also encouraging responsible pet owners to arrange neutering for their cats and kittens.

As kitten season is now underway, the charity says the overpopulation of cats is in crisis and cat owners should be speaking to their vets about neutering as soon as possible and keep any unneautred cats indoors until they can be spayed.

The warning comes as the RSPCA finds unexpected litters of kittens "often end up abandoned or given up and coming into rescue centres".

There were more than 7,500 cats reported abandoned last year and the charity received 143,961 reports about cats to its cruelty line since 2021 - half of which came during kitten season alone. 

In one recent disturbing case, a cat called Poppy was found beheaded in a suspected act of animal cruelty near to the Oldham Cat Rescue Centre where she had been living.

Volunteers at the rescue are now campaigning to change the law for cats, with hopes of taking the petition all the way to Parliament.

Alice Potter, cat welfare expert at the RSPCA, added: “Kitten season is typically the time of year when most kittens are born and as a charity we see an influx of cats coming into our care as a result.

"With the cost of living crisis putting an extra strain on people’s finances we’re concerned that we may see more cats than ever in need of help at a time when our centres are already full-to-bursting.

“We’d urge owners to please neuter your cats from four months old to prevent them from having unexpected and unwanted litters of kittens.

"We know kittens may look cute but the reality is that they require a lot of care, time, and money, which many people may struggle to provide and sadly means they are often abandoned or given up.”

Amid the cost of living crisis, the RSPCA received 20,999 calls about an abandoned animal last year - more than in 2022, 2021 and 2020. 

Alison added: “We understand that the cost of living crisis has had an impact on people’s finances and some people may be struggling to care for their pets.

"Reports about animals being abandoned and dumped are rising, and we're seeing more animals coming into our care.

"But in the tough financial climate, we're doing everything we can to keep pets in loving homes, and support owners.

"We’ve committed £1.5m of extra funding to crisis measures; launched a Cost of Living Hub and a dedicated telephone helpline, while our pet food bank partnerships are going from strength to strength, having given out 1.5m pet meals last year.

"And our incredible supporters have been helping create a better world for every animal - backing this vital work, spreading cost-saving advice, and highlighting to anyone looking to add a pet to their family to choose a rescue animal - like the countless amazing dogs, cats, rabbits and other pets looking for a second chance of happiness on our dedicated Find a Pet website." 

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