Four kittens dumped at unmanned station in Gwent

The four tiny kittens, who are less than a week old, were found sheltering together in a bare cardboard box outside Hengoed Station in Gwent just as temperatures dropped below zero this week.

The kittens, one ginger and three black, had no comforts or air holes in the box they were dumped in, and a strip of ‘fragile’ tape sealed it closed.

Box the kittens were dumped in (Image: Cats Protection)

Box the kittens were dumped in. Picture: Cats Protection

A member of the public who was out walking her dog with her grandfather found the kittens when she spotted the box looking out of place by some bushes outside the station and heard squeaking from the inside.

Cats Protection’s Gwent Branch was called for help. The branch’s coordinator, Glynis Davies, says: “I was totally horrified that such young and defenceless kittens were abandoned without even a towel or blanket for warmth.

How the kittens were left (Image: Cats Protection)

How the kittens were left. Picture: Cats Protection

“As a branch we take in more than 300 kittens every year and think we’ve seen it all, but this has been one of the coldest weeks of the year so far and these kittens would certainly have died if they had been outside for much longer.”

The adorable kittens who should have been relying on their mother to keep them alive have been named after Thomas the Tank Engine characters, Thomas, Percy, Annie and Clarabel.

Ms Davies said: “The kittens are so young that their eyes aren’t open, and Annie and Clarabel’s tiny ears are still folded against their heads.

"At this age all they can really do is feel and smell so we are doing everything their mother should be doing. We are really lucky that one of our local vet nurses, Sophie, has offered to hand-rear them.

The adorable foursome (Image: Cats Protection)

The adorable foursome. Picture: Cats Protection

“It’s a round-the-clock job with feeds needed every couple of hours. Sophie will also be regulating their body temperature because they cannot do it themselves, toileting them and beginning their socialisation.”

She continued that anyone with cats or any other animals they cannot care for should contact an animal welfare charity such as Cats protection, or a vet.

We understand that cats have unexpected litters or that people’s circumstances change but there is no excuse for leaving cats of any age to fend for themselves and kittens this young simply cannot survive without their mothers," she said.

Thomas, Percy, Annie and Clarabel are not even a week old (Image: Cats Protection)

Thomas, Percy, Annie and Clarabel are not even a week old. Picture: Cats protection

Once the kittens are past nine weeks old, they will be ready to find new homes and their details will be here.