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Two tiny kittens have had a lucky escape after being found in a bonfire pile just hours before it was due to be lit.
The pair of three-week-old kittens were spotted in the nick of time when Rob and Gordon, two ground workers clearing a garden on the South coastal area of the UK, decided to move the pile of leaves and branches for the bonfire and heard a squeak. On investigation, they discovered two tiny kittens and realized that the pile had been made into a den by the kittens’ mum, who is thought to be a stray cat frequently seen in the area.
Debbie Southcott, in whose garden the kittens were found, said: “The tree cuttings for the bonfire had been there for ages, so it’s really lucky we decided to move it over a few feet before we lit it – it doesn’t bear thinking about what might have happened to the kittens if we hadn’t.
“Rob and Gordon were horrified to think that they could have lit the fire when the kittens were still in there.”
Concerned they might be sick or injured, Mrs Southcott took the kittens to the Blue Cross animal charity’s rehoming centre in Southampton where an examination by the vet revealed that the kittens were fine apart from being very hungry. They were given a good meal and are now being hand-reared by a Blue Cross foster carer until they are old enough to find permanent new homes.
Danielle Mason, Operation Supervisor at Blue Cross Southampton, said: “These two kittens had a really lucky escape – their mum must have thought it was a nice safe, dry spot for them. It’s a good reminder to check your bonfire for wildlife before lighting it.”
Popcorn and Marshmallow will be ready to go to new homes at around eight weeks old.
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did they ever find their mummy?