The purrfect pair

DUMPED . . . Toffie and Pumpkin

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A PAIR of lucky kittens have been rescued after they were dumped in the undergrowth.

The abandoned ginger and white siblings were discovered under a bush on a Chadderton estate by a resident who heard them crying.

Defenceless Pumpkin and his sister Toffie were meowing near to garages in Mona Road which caught the attention of passer-by Peter Greenhalgh.

His partner Abbie Rutter (22) contacted Oldham Cats rescue home who gave advice on how to look after the seven-week-old brother and sister overnight.

Miss Rutter, who cared for the adorable kittens, said: "Peter heard this constant meowing and when he looked closer he saw the pair in the bushes. It was freezing and they are only little.

Forlorn

"They looked all matted and had probably been there a day or so.

"Peter tried knocking at some of the houses on the estate but no one knew whose they were so we took them home.

"They had obviously been dumped but it is terrible because the original owners could have sent them to a rescue home rather than just leaving them."

Miss Rutter has grown up with cats and kittens and has pets of her own so jumped into action as soon as the forlorn felines arrived at her home.

In efforts to keep the kittens warm, she used a blanket to make them a bed inside a shoe box, and ensured they had food and drink.

She said: "It was a freezing cold night. They were dirty and had fleas and were really poorly looked after. They were in a really horrendous state because of the fleas.

"We wanted them to be warm and cosy. We bottle-fed them and wiped them down."

Miss Rutter contacted Oldham Cats via Facebook after rescuing the abandoned pair at around 7pm on Saturday, October 23 and arranged for them to be collected the next day.

When they first arrived at the Hanes maternity pad in Rochdale, the kittens were not eating and were afraid of the toys they were given.

Assistant manager and trustee Davina Hanes, who has 14 indoor cats of her own, said: "The kittens were left to fend for themselves.

Distressing

"They were far too tame and clean, despite the fleas, to have been born outdoors as strays. Pumpkin and Toffie arrived with one of the worst flea infestations I've ever seen.

"Sadly, as a rescue, this is the sort of thing we encounter frequently ­- it's heartbreaking and distressing at times."

Both are being hand-reared and are beginning to trust their carers.

Mrs Hanes, who has reared hundreds of kittens, said: "The pair are beautiful. They were terrified of their toys initially but have discovered now they can be fun.

"When their eating is stabilised and they are well enough they will be returned to the rescue for rehoming. These two need rehoming together as they are incredibly close."