Kittens found dumped in suitcase in Southampton

An RSPCA inspector said she had never dealt with so many kittens being dumped in one go

A suitcase containing 15 kittens was found abandoned outside an animal hospital in Southampton.

The kittens, all about six weeks old, were dumped outside the PDSA animal hospital in Mount Pleasant Road.

They were spotted after a member of the public saw a motorist dump the suitcase and then drive off on Friday morning.

RSPCA inspector Penny Baker said she had never dealt with so many kittens being dumped in one go. They may be from more than one litter, she said.

The RSPCA said the kittens were teeming with fleas and worms.

The charity is now appealing for information to find out who is responsible for abandoning the animals.

Ten of the kittens are now being cared for by the RSPCA

Inspector Penny Baker said: "Because they are all black, it is difficult to tell whether they are all brothers and sisters. It is more likely that it is two litters dumped together.

"Sadly there is no CCTV and we haven't got a description of the person who dumped them. We are hoping the public can be our eyes and ears and share any relevant information which might help us track down who abandoned them."

'Cat crisis'

A cat, possibly the mother of the kittens, was spotted when the suitcase was dumped but it ran off.

The kittens were found at about 08:30 BST.

Ten of them are now being cared for by the RSPCA, while five others are being kept in private boarding.

The RSPCA said it was "in the midst of a cat crisis", having taken in 14% more abandoned, sick and neglected cats this year compared with the same period in 2012.