RSPCA Rescued one Day old Kitten Found Alone in Dulwich Garden

The tiny kitten is now being expertly cared for by Battersea

The RSPCA rescued a tiny one-day-old kitten which was found by a member of the public without his mum or siblings in a garden in Dulwich.

Luckily, a member of the public spotted the small kitten’s plight and brought him inside and placed him in a shoe box with some soft tissue paper inside. They then placed him near to the radiator to keep him warm and contacted the RSPCA for help.

Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Lisa Miller collected the newborn kitten from Seeley Drive on Friday (28 May) and took him to Battersea, where the centre is open to help all dogs and cats in need.

She said: “This poor tiny kitten was found all alone in the garden with no mum. He was so young his eyes were still closed and there is no way he could have fended for himself so he wouldn’t have lasted long if it wasn’t for the quick actions of the member of the public who found him. He may have spent his first night of life in a Slazenger shoe box but he is now being hand-reared round-the-clock and getting the care he desperately needs.

“This time of year, between May and September, is known as kitten season when most of the kittens are born which means our centres and branches are often inundated with litters. This little fella was likely born to a stray or feral mum who perhaps got spooked and left him behind but we also see lots of young kittens being abandoned around this time of year because their owners can no longer care for them. This is why we urge people to neuter their cats from four-months-old to ensure that they avoid unwanted and unexpected litters of kittens ending up coming into rescue centres like ourselves and Battersea.

“We are very grateful that Battersea could care for this little kitten and it shows just how important working with other charities is for animal welfare.”

attersea is here for every dog and cat and is expanding its support to other animal charities in the UK and overseas, this being a prime example. The little kitten, now named Rodney, is being hand-reared by one of Battersea’s senior vet nurses, who has also been hand-rearing four other kittens who are keeping Rodney company during a crucial point in his life.

Lindsey Quinlan, Head of Catteries at Battersea, said: “Battersea will never turn an animal away, loving their imperfections and expertly caring for them. Rodney has had a shaky start to life, but thanks to the great work of the RSPCA, he’s now been given the best chance in life. It’s still early days, but after providing him with round the clock care, he’s starting to turn a corner now. We’re hopeful he will grow into a healthy cat, and once ready, he’ll be neutered before Battersea finds a loving home for him to be the best cat he can be.”

For more information visit: www.battersea.org.uk or www.rspca.org.uk