AssetID: 54590353
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Surrogate Cat Mum Adopts For Three-Legged Kitten Rescued From Street
Caption: A devoted surrogate cat mum has embraced a three-legged kitten who was discovered abandoned on the roadside in Kent. The tiny kitten, just two weeks old, was found in Canterbury on Monday, 3 March, suffering from a severe injury that left his right back paw barely attached. A concerned member of the public rushed him to the vet, where his dead paw was amputated to spare him further pain. Unfortunately, his entire leg will need to be removed in a future operation, as it cannot be saved. Following his initial treatment, RSPCA inspector Kirsten Omerod took the kitten, now named Comet, to the RSPCA Canterbury & District Branch. There, he was introduced to a female tabby cat named Twinkle in the hope that she would adopt him as her own. Staff captured the heartwarming moment Twinkle met Comet and instantly accepted him. Natalie Archer, branch manager, explained: “Twinkle came from a multi-cat household where the owner had asked for help rehoming some of her cats and getting them neutered as they were struggling to access affordable neutering. It was a hard decision to rehome some of her cats but she did so with their best interest at heart. “Twinkle came into us as she was heavily pregnant and struggling to give birth which resulted in an emergency C-section being carried out over the weekend. Very sadly she lost all but one of her six kittens as they were either born dead or had severe deformities which meant she was left with just one kitten who we named Little Star. “She is the nicest mumma and so we were hopeful she would take to Comet and so pleased when she did! Now she is feeding him, grooming him, and cuddling him alongside her other kitten and it’s so lovely to see. “Surrogacy is a great way to give very young rescue kittens the care and attention they need when they are too young to be away from their mums. I’m very pleased to say that mum cat Twinkle and the two kittens are now doing really well.” It remains unclear whether Comet was abandoned or simply an injured stray. However, recent figures from February reveal a troubling trend—1,702 abandonment incidents were reported to the RSPCA this year, compared to 1,405 in February last year, marking a 21% increase. Similarly, in January, 1,972 cases were recorded, up from 1,471 the previous year - a rise of over 34%. For those struggling to care for their pets, numerous reputable animal welfare charities offer guidance and support. Anyone in a difficult situation is encouraged to seek help.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,animal rescue, rescued animal, RSPCA, Comet, surrogate, abandoned, adopts, three-legged kitten
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