Teddy appeal for orphaned kittens

4 hours ago

Eleanor LawsonWest Midlands

RSPCA A small tabby kitten lies underneath a fluffy green and yellow dinosaur teddy. The kitten lies on a soft red blanket. — Lord Tubbington is one of the orphaned kittens in Birmingham benefiting from snuggling up to a teddy bear

An RSPCA centre is appealing for teddies to be donated for their orphaned kittens to snuggle up to.

RSPCA Birmingham Animal Centre and Hospital in Frankley Green is looking for small, soft cuddly toys and soft teddies to help provide comfort to the orphaned kittens currently in its care.

A spokesperson said the charity was currently at "crisis point" and under huge pressure to find space for an ever-growing number of cats and kittens.

People can donate teddies to the centre between 11:00 and 15:00 BST on any day except Wednesday.

The centre's fostering and volunteer coordinator, Emma Finnimore, said: "We'd be really grateful if anyone who lives locally could drop by with donations of small, soft and cuddly toys and teddies that are washable so we can use them for our little kittens.

"Every teddy means another little kitten has someone soft and comforting to snuggle up to so please help us give our babies some extra cuddles."

The Birmingham branch currently has 113 cats in its care, with 51 at the centre and 62 in foster homes, including 11 foster kittens.

RSPCA Two small tabby kittens snuggle next to each other and a white and black teddy bear. — Rose and Pearl are sisters who were found without their mum and taken in by the Birmingham team

Finnimore added: "We have a number of orphaned kittens in our care at the moment, most of whom have been found wandering alone without their mum and have been rescued by members of the public or by our rescue teams.

"A cuddly toy gives them something warm to snuggle up to, replicating the warmth and comfort their mother would provide.

"Then, when we rehome them to loving, new families, they get to take their beloved snuggly toy with them."

New figures revealed the RSPCA has seen a 67% increase in the number of incidents involving 10 or more cats in a single property, which the charity said had put a great deal of pressure on its homing centres.

Officers dealt with 1,752 mass cat incidents in 2025; almost five every single day.

The charity - which is currently running its Cruelty Hurts, Love Rescues campaign - said these multi-cat incidents, as well as an influx of cats and kittens during the key breeding season (May-Sept), had put huge pressure on its rehoming centres.