Basket of 26 kittens dumped outside cat rescue centre

A moses basket full of 26 kittens was dumped on the doorstep of a rescue centre.

Founder Christine Bayka heard a loud banging and opened the door at The Moggery's headquarters in Bristol.

She discovered so many 'filthy' kittens in a basket she initially couldn't count them.

The bundle of 26 appeared to be four or five litters of different ages and are all ginger or tortie.

The kittens who were all riddled with fleas, were bathed, given clean beds and divided up to estimated age groups.

The larger ones were given food, litter trays and the smallest nine were taken home by Christine to bottle feed during the night.

Christine said she suspected there was originally a tortie mother who had three tortie daughters and a ginger son.

She added: "All the kittens must have been kept but not neutered and the mother and daughters have all produced litters in the last few weeks.

"The moses basket and all the kittens were filthy and I suspect they have all been kept in a shed.

"This is a perfect example of things getting out of hand so quickly when a person obtains a kitten without having any backup support."

She said many people look to online sites for kittens and have "no idea that there is more to cat care than putting food down."

She added: "Sadly, also, many people obtain kittens because their child is making demands. By all means give your child some sweets or a new toy. But obtaining a live animal needing 18 plus years of care to satisfy the whim of a child is ludicrous said Christine Bayka.

"A pet is a luxury and shouldn't even be considered by anyone struggling to feed or cloth their children."

She said many people this summer have called The Moggery within hours of buying a kitten online.

She said many realise they have made a mistake because the child is allergic or frightened of the new scratchy kitten.

Christine added: "All rescues are bursting at the seams with unwanted cats and kittens every summer and any member of the public who buys from an online site is exacerbating the problem and is certainly not an animal lover."

Christine said every person who adopts from the Moggery has to sign on the adoption form that they will have their kittens neutered and chipped.