Abandoned Kittens - The Local Buzz - reader finds 4 abandoned kittens

Gregory Caminow wrote to tell us of the fate of four abandoned kittens and how a cat rescue organisation has helped to save their lives.

Yesterday whilst walking in our local woods, my wife and teenage daughter suddenly heard loud crying noises and thought that it might be a snared animal.

On investigation the cries became louder and the source was found to be four small shivering kittens, soaked from the recent heavy downpour of rain. They looked very miserable and appeared to be hungry too.

When they saw my wife and daughter the kittens immediately ran towards them. They quickly attached themselves and even tried to climb up their legs. There was no sign of their mother or the person who had dumped them in the woods to their unknown fates. My wife and daughter had no choice but to bring them home. The first I knew about the kittens was when my wife opened the kitchen door and 4 little kittens came scurrying in. They all immediately ran to our own cats food dish and started hungrily eating her food. My thoughts were that they had been left abandoned possibly the night before, they were very hungry and definitely needed some food and milk. They were about 6 weeks old and they seemed to be quite domesticated. They were not afraid of people and they knew how to eat that was for sure. Someone for what ever reason had left them in the woods knowing that they would have little or no chance of survival……..

Hungry and alone in the woods

To the Rescue – literally

We already have 2 cats of our own, one inherited from the previous house occupier and the other a runt of a local litter, so we could not have another 4 cats as well.

Sunday afternoon suddenly 4 little abandoned kittens what to do? For some reason I knew that I had seen an advertisement very recently offering help for cats. I picked the latest copy of The Local Buzz which was conveniently laying on our kitchen table. There on page 63 was what I must have noticed without realising and never for one moment thinking I would need to contact. Acorn Cat Rescue Dordogne. I immediately went to their website at www.associationacorn.com and found a contact telephone number.

I did not expect that I would get through to anyone on a Sunday afternoon, at best maybe an answer-phone but after only a few rings someone answered in English, a big relief. I explained the sad situation and was informed that Acorn Cat Rescue Dordogne was actually located only about an hours drive from where we live. The person who I was talking to was Lynda Atkins who is the President of the Acorn association (she did not tell me this of course). She was very friendly and offered at once to take in the kittens if I could drive them over to her straight away. We found a large cardboard box and a blanket and got our little crying bundles into it. They were a lot better now they had eaten some food but they were still far from happy. My daughter and I then drove to the Acorn Cat Rescue Dordogne home near Mussidan where we met Lynda and her husband Trevor, not an easy place to find even with navigation but we managed eventually.

They showed us some cats and kittens they were already caring for and they took our 4 new arrivals and introduced them immediately to other kittens in their care. There was food and warmth waiting for them. I knew that we had stumbled on the right place and I was pleased that we had managed very quickly to get the abandoned kittens into caring hands. Lynda assured me that they would now receive the love and attention they needed and that she already had a possible home for two of them.

We left Acorn Cat Rescue Dordogne happy that our kittens were safe and being cared for.

This ‘selfless’ couple are doing such an important job. There are so many stray and abandoned kittens and cats in France and they are helping some of them. They rely on donations to continue their good work. They never mentioned or requested that we pay them anything for their help or services which really is a rare thing these days.

A good life is on the way

Text and images: Gregory Caminow who sends his thanks to Acorn Cat Rescue