NORMANTON, ENGLAND – Susan Maude was spotted leaving her home located in Tranmere, Merseyside, just after midnight on August 6 last year with a large laundry bag which was zipped up tight.
One half an hour later, the 62-year-old was filmed again by the neighbor’s surveillance camera arriving back home without the bag.
Wirral magistrates heard the same bag was discovered on nearby land on August 6 of just last year.
It contained a total five kittens and adult cats Polly, Dolly and Dylan.
Maude – who now lives 100 miles away in Normanton, West Yorks – was charged with failing to ensure a suitable environment for the felines and a dog called Rusty.
She was also charged with failing to protect them from pain, suffering, injury or disease through dumping the cats and letting the dog loose.
She did not attend court and she was found guilty in her absence.
A warrant was issued for her arrest and she will eventually be brought to court to be sentenced.
The court heard Maude had previously had two other dogs that she had left with neighbors or family members and did not return to collect.
Chris Murphy, prosecuting for the RSPCA, said: “On August 6 a witness from a cat rescue centre received a call from an elderly lady who said she believed a dead animal had been dumped in a bag at the side of her property.”
“She attended and located a large nylon woven zip-up laundry bag. She unzipped it expecting to find a dead animal but instead found a live black adult cat who poked its head through.”
“It was clearly distressed and soaked in urine and faeces.”
The bag was taken to Birch Veterinary Centre, where the vets found the bag contained five kittens and three older cats in a similar condition.
Mr Murphy added: “The vet said they would have suffered a slow and painful death from heat, coupled with the lack of oxygen.”
“The owner must have known they would have suffered. They were dumped in an area where they were unlikely to be found.”
Wirral RSPCA Inspector Anthony Joynes thanked members of the public for raising their concerns and added: “In my opinion it was like they were left with the trash.
“She has then moved 100 miles away without a care in the world for them.”
Inspector Joynes added: “We’re very lucky that we didn’t end up with a bag full of dead cats.
“It was a hot August day and they weren’t found until early afternoon. They must have been scared and stressed but luckily they’ve come into the RSPCA’s care and they now have new homes.”
When found, Maude said she had owned cats and kittens – but denied the animals found in Tranmere belonged to her.
She said she had given the kittens to a woman who lives in Upton, Merseyside, but was unable to provide contact details.
The RSPCA have released a photo showing the five kittens which were all nursed back to health.
The cats have now fully recovered and have been found new homes.
