Kitten Dumped in Bin gets Fresh Start

Had a refuse collector not heard Tiny Tim’s cries from the back of the bin lorry, he wouldn’t be here today.

The poor kitten had been dumped in a bin at only two days old, but thankfully found when the rubbish was collected. What might have happened to his siblings doesn’t bear thinking about.

Filthy, cold and hungry, Tiny Tim was brought to our Merton animal hospital before being transferred to our Victoria site where he was given all the emergency care he needed.

A tiny white kitten with its eyes closed lies on a blue towel — Tiny Tim still had his eyes closed when he arrived at Blue Cross

Weighing just 93g – less than a satsuma – and without a mum providing milk, Tiny Tim needed to be handfed every two hours, day and night.

“Active and crying” when he arrived at Victoria animal hospital, the clinical care team acted quickly to help the newborn kitten, says London Welfare Officer Amanda Rumball.

With his eyes still closed from his very recent birth, the little white kitten was warmed up in an incubator to help him recover from his ordeal.

He was soon transferred to our Burford rehoming centre where he went straight into foster care with Animal Welfare Assistant, Laura Morris.

White kitten Tiny Tim is cuddled by a Blue Cross team member — Tiny Tim went into foster care with Blue Cross Animal Welfare Assistant Laura Morris

“Tiny Tim was very lucky to be found when he was, because if he’d been left any longer he wouldn’t have survived as a newborn without food,” explains Laura, who has been caring for the kitten around the clock.

“I couldn’t believe he had been put in the bin, he’s so cute and lovely.”

Syringe feeding the tiny kitten gave him all the nourishment he needed in the first few days, before he was big enough to be bottle fed then weaned with a “meaty milkshake”.

Despite a setback with a leg injury, Tiny Tim’s now full of beans and fighting fit.

White kitten Tiny Tim reaches out his front left paw to play with a red and green ball — Tiny Tim is confident and full of fun

“I’m so glad I brought him to Blue Cross, what an amazing job the team has done,” says the refuse collector who came to his rescue. “I’m glad to see him so well.”

Having been hand-reared for the first few months of his life, the adorable kitten is very affectionate and bonded to humans, explains Laura, who has now adopted Tiny Tim.

He shares his new home with Oskie, another Blue Cross rescue kitten who was the sole survivor from his litter.

Although three-legged Oskie had to have his hind leg amputated early in his life after an infection, the pair are best friends and love spending lots of time playing and snuggling up together.

White kitten snuggles next to larger tabby cat — Tiny Tim has a best friend in fellow Blue Cross rescue cat Oskie

Learning from another cat is incredibly valuable for Tiny Tim as he grows, giving him more chance to experience feline behaviour first hand, adds Laura.

“Tiny Tim’s so inquisitive, confident and happy – it’s incredibly rewarding to see him as he is now, compared to when he first came to us,” she adds.