On the 12th June a gentleman came into our centre with a cardboard box containing 4 kittens. The gentleman had spotted the kittens in his garden initially with their mum, but unfortunately mum ran off and he was unable to find her. When we opened the box, we found that the kittens were covered in ringworm and suffering from cat flu. One of the kittens, who we later named Sam, was in a collapsed state and had ringworm so bad it was the worst case that we have ever seen. It is almost certain that without these kittens coming into our care, they would not have survived living outdoors.

Ringworm is a condition of the skin, hair and nails, surprisingly caused by a fungus and not a worm as many people would think. It is contagious to people and other animals and since the spores that cause the infection are very robust, it can remain in the environment for up to two years. Cat flu is a common illness affecting the upper respiratory tract in cats, much like a cold or flu in humans. Once a cat is unwell with cat flu, other infections can spread more easily as the body’s immune system struggles to cope. Kittens like Sam and his siblings need to be treated in isolation to stop the infections from spreading to the other cats. Our staff need extra protective clothing when handling them to ensure that the infections do not spread to them or the other cats.

The kittens, now named Rosie-Cotton, Pippin, Mary alongside Sam are 13 weeks old. They have had their first round of ringworm treatment and are starting to run around in their pen, but still have a long way to go before they will be ready for rehoming. When cats come into our centres with conditions like cat flu and ringworm, they need lots of extra TLC, which means they are more than likely to stay in care longer than average, preventing other cats coming in, while they are still recovering.

Alongside testing and treating these kittens for ringworm and cat flu, they will also undergo a standard vet check, flea and worming treatment, be neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, cleaned and fed before we can start to find their forever homes. We have calculated the cost of their care will be £1028 per kitten and with 4 kittens to help, the bill will be sizeable. That is where you come in. We are asking for your help to donate to our appeal today. We appreciate times are tight, the minimum donation is £2.00 and every little helps. Please donate today if you can. Any money raised over and above our target will go to help other cats and kittens like Sam, Rosie-Cotton, Pippin and Mary in care at our centre. Thank you.

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity. Our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats Protection has simple and clear objectives to help cats:

Homing - Finding good homes for cats in need

Neutering - Supporting and encouraging the neutering of cats

Information - Improving people’s understanding of cats and their care

Achieving this vision is only made possible due to kind cat lovers who support our work. Visit www.cats.org.uk for more information.