A stack of sealed plastic boxes and carriers containing 26 cats and kittens was found beside fly tipped rubbish in an alley on Hawthorn Road in Birmingham. A member of the public noticed faint meowing, moved most animals into carriers and called the RSPCA.
Paul Nijjar, an animal rescue officer with the RSPCA, said some of the cats were "struggling to breathe" when they were discovered. He described the scene as distressing and said the animals were underweight and carried a heavy flea burden.
Two of the animals, given the names Mauve and Mr Gold, were taken to Birmingham Animal Hospital. Staff there treated them for heavy flea infestations, anaemia and dehydration, and monitored them for cat flu, the charity said.
The remaining 24 cats and kittens were taken into RSPCA care for treatment and rehabilitation. The charity said they are recovering and will be rehomed when medically ready. RSPCA officers are reviewing CCTV of the area and investigating the abandonment.
Related Incidents And Wider Concerns
Rescue groups reported a separate case in East London where volunteers from the Celia Hammond Animal Trust opened heavily taped cardboard boxes to free 11 cats. The trust said the cats were covered in fleas and underweight and required urgent veterinary care.
The Celia Hammond trust said volunteers made air holes and moved the animals to a shelter for treatment. The clowder included mainly ginger cats and one tuxedo, and staff kept the group together when arranging veterinary care and future adoptions.
The RSPCA has recorded a sharp rise in multi cat incidents, reporting a 67 percent increase in mass cat incidents in England and Wales. The charity said 1,752 incidents involved 10 or more cats at a single property in 2025, up from earlier years, and said about 20,000 cats entered its care in 2025.
RSPCA staff urged owners to use local shelters, veterinary clinics or rescue networks rather than abandoning animals. Nijjar also advised neutering from four months of age, noting kittens can themselves become pregnant at that age. The charity asked anyone with information to contact them while it continues its enquiries.
