LONGVIEW, UK – Animal rescuers believe a tiny kitten was purposefully tied to a tree by its neck.
Rupert the kitten
Rupert the 12-week-old ginger and white kitten was discovered tied by the neck to a tree, at ground level, in Grange Park by a resident who just so happened to be walking through the park on Wednesday night.
He was rescued by Blackpool Rspca Inspector Amy McIntosh, 25, who said it was believed that the tiny cat had been tied to the tree intentionally and abandoned there.
She said: “It looks like he has been tied up by his neck.”
“The person who found him thinks he was tied up.”
“He’s just a young kitten, he’s defenceless and to tie him up by his neck would be really stressful for him.”
Miss McIntosh added she believed that Rupert had not been fed for quite some time.
She said: “He was scared because he was stuck and he was starving because he hadn’t eaten in a while.
“I have no idea how long he hadn’t eaten for but he was absolutely starving.”
Despite his traumatic experience, Rupert survived without any physical injuries, and was taken to Longview Animal Centre in Stalmine, where Rupert is now recovering thanks to the care of dedicated RSPCA volunteers.
Miss McIntosh said: “He’s just really pleased to have cuddles.
“He’s absolutely fine and he’s got no injuries”.
“He has no microchip and no collar, and he is too young to be out on his own. It’s unlikely he would have survived on his own.”
“He’s friendly so it’s likely he has been owned and then either escaped or been abandoned.”
“I think it’s probably somebody that had not thought about the responsibility that a kitten comes with. They have been unable to look after the cat and have found out that they are not very easy to rehome, and then behaved very irresponsibly by tying him to a tree rather than putting him in a place of safety.”
Rupert will be neutered soon and put up for adoption at Longview Animal Centre Rspca in a week’s time if his owners do not show up to claim him.
Miss McIntosh: “At Longview they think he’s gorgeous and they love him. He’ll find a home in no time.”
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