Kittens named after The Land Before Time characters have paws crossed for their own happy ending

Five homeless kittens are recovering in the care of Blue Cross in Burford after they were found abandoned in a cardboard box, with one almost completely bald due to ringworm.

The kittens, who have been named after characters in the 1988 film The Land Before Time, Petrie, Ducky, Littlefoot, Spike and Cera, were brought into the charity’s rehoming centre in Burford, Oxfordshire, after being found by a member of the public aged around eight weeks old.

The kittens were found to be suffering from ringworm, which if left untreated can cause cats and dogs to lose all their fur. The condition can be uncomfortable and cause dry, cracked and itchy skin.

Jade Griffiths, Animal Welfare Assistant at Blue Cross in Burford, said: “The kittens were in poor shape and would likely have perished if they hadn’t been found.

“All of them were missing some fur, some had sore patches and one was completely bald with dry cracked skin.

“They were all very hungry and dehydrated so we had to feed them little and often initially to stop them from making themselves sick, as they literally inhaled their food.

“They have been prescribed anti-fungal medicine to treat the ringworm and have also needed medicated baths to help their sore skin, as well as regular vet checks to assess their progress.

“When I first saw these guys, it really was heart-breaking because they were so scared, so small and so unwell. We named them after characters from The Land Before Time because the movie is about a group of young dinosaurs who had to overcome great obstacles and lots of change in their young lives, which really resonated with what these lovely kittens have been through.

“They have overcome being abandoned, they’ve kept each other company along the way and also they were a bit scaley when they first came in – it just seemed to fit. Hopefully these sweet kittens have a happy ending just like the film.”

The kittens, who are now 16 weeks old, are continuing their recovery and will go up for rehoming once they are healthy and ready to go to new homes.

Jade added: “We would urge anyone struggling with any animal to contact us for help rather than abandoning them as it’s unlikely these kittens would have survived if they hadn’t been found.

“Once we’ve confirmed they are clear of the ringworm, which hopefully should be in around six weeks’ time, then we should be able to put them up for rehoming. We can’t wait to see them head off to new homes and I’m sure they will be quickly snapped up.

“The three boys, Littlefoot, Spike and Petrie are all love bugs, purring when we enter their pen to clean and feed them and they are very playful. The two girls, Cera and Ducky are very sweet. Ducky’s loves her food and doesn’t like to share, while Cera is a bit more nervous than the rest of the group and can be shy at times.

“They’d usually be in the care of one of our foster homes at such a young age but they’ve had to stay in our care at the centre due to the ringworm as it’s contagious and requires close monitoring.”

Their arrival comes just weeks after two kittens were found dumped in a lay-by regularly used for fly-tipping in a taped-up box.

The four-week-old kittens, named Bumble and Pip, were found by a member of the public but luckily were unharmed by their ordeal and the charity were quickly able to find new homes for them.

For more information or to see animals currently looking for homes with Blue Cross visit bluecross.org.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editors

• Blue Cross is a national charity that has been helping sick, injured, abandoned and homeless pets for over 120 years. We help thousands of pets in need every month by providing veterinary care, expert behaviour help and find them loving homes. We also offer education for current and future pet owners plus pet bereavement support for those who have lost their pet companion. Pets help us in so many ways and they depend entirely on us, with your support we can give back to more pets in need. Pets change lives. We change theirs.
• For more information visit bluecross.org.uk