Twenty-five terrified and filthy cats rescued from dingy flat, RSPCA says
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The RSPCA said the cats were "terrified" and it was "clear they had not had much human interaction"
Twenty-five "terrified, flea-infested, filthy and very hungry" cats have been rescued from a "dingy" flat, the RSPCA has said.
The charity said inspectors went to the rented property in Birkenhead after the occupants moved out.
A spokeswoman said they found "dozens of frightened felines" with no food and water "hiding behind furniture and... living in the sofa".
It was thought some kittens had been "born inside the cushions", she added.
Inspector Lisa Lupson, who helped with the rescue, said it was "lucky a neighbour spotted this situation"
She said three inspectors "worked to safely capture all the pets in the property" and had set cat traps as they thought there were 14 felines in the flat when they arrived.
"Over the course of three days, a total of 25 cats and kittens were recovered, all aged between one week and four years old.
The felines were taken to the Wirral and Chester RSPCA branch for treatment.
Branch manager Kay Hawthorn said the cats "were in such a mess" and were "flea-infested and filthy and obviously very hungry".
She said they were "terrified" and it was "clear they had not had much human interaction", but despite that, they were "all so beautiful and have lovely temperaments".
The RSPCA said many of the rescued cats had since been rehomed
Inspector Lisa Lupson, who helped with the rescue, said it was "lucky a neighbour spotted this situation and alerted us" and the charity was working to identify the flat's former occupants.
"We believe the owners probably started with a few unneutered cats and then the breeding got out of control," she said.
"They ended up with this situation and we are left to pick up the pieces as they walked away and left them."
She added that two of the kittens died from flea anaemia "as their tiny bodies could not cope", but many of the other cats had been rehomed since the rescue in April.
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