'Miracle' kitten from abandoned pub rehomed

Peggy the black kitten was rejected by her "poorly and stressed" mother, according to the RSPCA

A black kitten whose mother was rescued from an abandoned pub has been successfully re-homed.

The tiny feline, named Peggy, weighed just 0.13 lb (59g) when she was born at a rescue centre.

The RSPCA said the kitten's "poorly and stressed" mother rejected her and she had to be hand-reared for 10 weeks.

The charity said the kitten's mother, along with 20 other cats, were found living in "unsuitable conditions" in the empty Sheffield pub in August and taken into care.

Peggy, who was named after famous EastEnders landlady Peggy Mitchell, was also only 1.9in (5cm) long.

New owner Cheryl Hague, press manager for the RSPCA, said: "Her story really pulled on my heart-strings - how she had beaten the odds to survive."

Her new owner says Peggy is now a "cheeky and playful" 10-week-old

"Once I met this miracle kitten I was smitten and decided to adopt her, much to the delight of my daughters," said Ms Hague, from Handsworth, Sheffield.

"She is so playful and cute and we adore her."

Peggy's mother also gave birth to another kitten, which did not survive.

The RSPCA said both kittens had silver tips on their fur called Fever Coat which is a sign their mother was ill and stressed during pregnancy and probably why she could not care for them.

The charity also hopes the story will dispel any superstitious myths about black cats being bad luck - especially at Halloween.

According to new statistics, black and black and white cats made up 47% of cats in RSPCA care last year - with 1,096 black and 1,501 black-and-white cats arriving at National Animal Centres.

Cheryl Hague says she is "smitten" with her new pet

That number is more than 10 times the number of white cats and more than five times more than ginger cats.

Yet despite being the most common, black cats also face longer waits for adoption.

On average, black cats stay in care for 71 days, and black-and-white cats for 69 days, compared to 64 days for tabbies.

Alice Potter, RSPCA cat welfare expert, said: "Black cats are still being overlooked in rescue centres, often due to outdated superstitions and the myth that they bring bad luck.

"Sadly, they're also sometimes seen as less photogenic for social media, which can affect adoption interest.

"But the truth is, black cats are just as affectionate, playful and full of personality as any other cat."

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