HALIFAX -- Contrary to the old saying – curiosity just might have saved the cat, and her kittens after a taped-up box on the side of Westfield Road in Saint John caught the attention of a man leaving a job site on Monday.
"Luckily he stopped and read it that it said ‘mom and kittens for free,’" says Saint John SPCA shelter manager, Joan Richardson.
As advertised, inside of the box were eight abandoned kittens between three and four-weeks-old, along with their mother.
The animals are currently in the care of the Saint John SPCA. Shelter workers say the kittens are doing surprisingly well given the circumstances – but they face a long road ahead.
‘Some of them are very small; the runt is only probably just over half a pound,” says Richardson. “So, they're weighed daily, and we're just making sure that they're developing properly."
"When they were brought in, they were obviously very scared and timid, and very hungry too,” says Saint John SPCA animal attendant, Meagan Williams. “But as of right now, they're doing awesome; they're playful, very playful."
The incident of animal abandonment has been reported to the New Brunswick SPCA – who encourage anyone with information concerning the case to come forward.
"We've just put the call out to say, ‘if you know something to just give us a call,’” says Richardson. “And we'll pass that along."
When it comes to vulnerable animals such as kittens and pregnant cats, the Saint John SPCA says there is always room available at their shelter.
“We're never going to turn them down because they're just so vulnerable, and they need the care and the attention right away,” says Williams. “Leaving them in a box on the side of the road isn't doing anyone any justice."
Meanwhile, the SPCA notes the kittens are too young for adoption for the time being. However, the shelter adds there are plenty of cats in need of a loving home.
