Nine cats found in a lay-by up for adoption

Nine cats are up for adoption after they were found dumped in a lay-by

Nine cats that were found at night in a lay-by in Herefordshire have been named after characters from a West End musical are now available for adoption.

The four male and five female black cats were found late at night in a animal carrier on the A465 on 26 October by Lola Thompson and her partner Ollie Desborough.

The young couple alerted an emergency vet who asked them to bring the cats straight in.

Practice owner and veterinary surgeon Dr Elliot Goodwin said: "It was harrowing to see them so frightened, and although we wanted to comfort them, we adopted a hands-off approach to avoid adding to their stress."

Dr Goodwin went on to say a thorough assessment was carried out after the cats had time to rest and recover.

Recalling the night she found the cats, 18-year-old Ms Thompson said she was "really scared" and "felt awful" for the cats.

Ms Thompson found the cats with her partner at a lay-by in Herefordshire

'Anything could have happened to them'

"It was 22:50 GMT and pitch black. I asked Ollie to get out and look which was when we discovered it was cats and maybe kittens," she said.

"I knew we couldn't leave until we'd found somewhere for them. We called our parents who rang the police, who couldn't help, and the RSPCA, who were closed.

"Luckily, we have a dog so called our emergency vet and were told to take them straight in.

"I didn't understand how somebody could do something so cruel. Anything could have happened if we hadn't found them."

Ms Thompson said whoever had dumped the animals had been "cruel"

West End musical inspires the names

The cats have been named after characters from the West End musical and Hollywood film, Wicked.

So, if hopeful adopters are looking for a cat called "The Wizard" they would be in luck.

The rest of the ensemble are named Elphaba Thropp, Glinda Upland, Madame Morrible, Doctor Dillamond, Dorothy Gale, Nessarose Thropp, Boq Woodsman and Fiyero Tigelaar.

The cats have been named after characters from Wicked, the prequel to The Wizard of Oz

The cats have since been neutered, microchipped, received flea and worm treatments, as well as removal of a broken tooth for one of the cats.

They were also vaccinated and tested for feline immunodeficiency virus before being transferred to Cats Protection's Herefordshire centre.

Dr Goodwin said: "Over the following days, it was incredibly rewarding to see their personalities start to emerge as they learned to trust us, even during health checks and neutering procedures.

"We were delighted that Cats Protection could support their journey to a better future, and we look forward to hearing how they settle into their new homes."