Kittens dumped and attacked in back lane

This is truly horrific...we’re at absolute breaking point here.

This afternoon I received a call from a fellow rescuer about an individual dumping 4 terrified kittens in the back lanes of Benwell. She’d carried them into the back alley in a bird cage and discarded them onto the streets.

A black and white female kitten (4-6months) instinctually hid behind a bin, before a large group of approximately 30 youths, aged between 6-13 approached. The kitten was repetitively grabbed and violently flung onto the ground. She was then thrown into a wall and the youths attempted to use a large industrial bin to ram the kitten into the wall.

Thankfully, a kind lady spotted the commotion and came running out of her home to intervene. The black and white queen (now Zoey), and a smaller Ginger kitten were safely retrieved by the lady and the local rescuer was called. Zoey is now under our care. She has a head trauma. Her pupils are not reacting properly to light, and the inside of her mouth is bleeding.

There are still 2 more kittens on the streets who have been dumped. There is a pregnant tortie/tabby 5-6month old queen (see video below), and a tiny approximately 6 week old white kitten (unsure on sex at this time). There are currently ongoing attempts to trap them both. They have been housecats up until this point and are absolutely petrified.

The individual who’d dumped the kittens was explaining through a language barrier that there were plans to return with more kittens from her home later on to ‘dispose of’.

After several attempts at reasoning with the individual, we finally had a break through. She finally accepted help and explained that she has 10 more kittens/cats inside her property, in addition to the 4 already dumped kittens.

The kittens had to be removed as a matter of urgency, during this potentially brief window of opportunity. We have retrieved 2 kittens from the property, in addition to the Ginger kitten dumped. These three little ones are from different litters and aged around 8-12 weeks old. They are safe in foster care now receiving initial assessment, flea baths and parasite medications. They are riddled with fleas and are anaemic due to the infestation.

The kittens are not properly socialised, so are very frightened of people. There is another tabby kitten who we were not able to catch as he/she hid inside a washing machine.

We also had a 6-8 month old heavily pregnant queen, and a 6-8 month old entire tom surrendered into care. They are in the care of another rescue. Both are white/tabby and potentially siblings.

The final kitten we managed to rescue was a tabby queen, approximately 4-6months old. She will be going to the same foster carer as Zoey (the tortured kitten), as we believe they are from the same litter.

There are STILL 5 cats to save. A dumped tortie pregnant queen, a tabby kitten, a dumped white/tabby kitten, and 2 other kittens/cats who we didn’t spot inside the house. We are due to return to the property to remove the 3 cats from inside, and will continue trapping attempts to rescue the 2 dumped kittens.

We URGENTLY need north east RESCUE spaces for the remaining cats. I cannot take any more cats under my rescue - so we are not looking for foster carers, as we have gone from 13-25 in care in the last 24 hours.

I am also desperately appealing for donations to help us work through this absolute nightmare. We are running really really low on kitten wet and dry food, formula, adult cat food, and the vet fund is also diminishing by the day.

Please do not direct any hate towards the kitten’s owner. We are working with the individual, and they are facing multiple private personal tragedies at present.