As the majority of us are aware, it’s important to cut down on single use plastic bags to help protect our environment. One local gentleman recently found that his eco-friendly efforts were also a bonus for a litter of kittens!

The unsuspecting gentleman kept his reusable shoppers in his garden shed, and had the surprise of his life when he discovered a young feline family living inside his Iceland ‘bag for life’.

The five kittens were only a few days old, and their Mum, a stray, was doing her best to care for them in the dark and cramped space she had found. Having had nowhere else to go to give birth, she had crawled into the shed as it offered shelter, and the ‘bag for life’ provided a good makeshift bed in which to keep her kittens close.

The gentleman called Mayhew for advice, and our Animal Welfare Officers (AWOs) went straight out to help. We named the mother cat ‘Sweetpea’ after the pattern of peas on the shopping bag, and called her kittens Pepper, Turnip, Swede, Tato and Pumpkin.

Luckily, all six were doing surprisingly well, and seemed to be in good health – although Sweetpea was understandably rather anxious and worried.

Our AWOs brought the family back to our Community Vet Clinic for a full health check, which happily revealed no causes for concern. We then settled them all together in a warm and cosy cat cabin so we could keep a close eye on them, and provide some home comforts.

It wasn’t long before two-year-old Sweetpea felt safe and secure, and came out of her shell – showing herself to be a loving, playful and curious cat. Her kittens continued to flourish, and Sweetpea soon began to crave some special care and attention of her very own.

As soon as the kittens were able to feed independently of their mother and no longer needed her, we neutered Sweetpea and placed her up for adoption, where she is currently searching for the ‘rags to riches’ style happy ending that she so truly deserves.

The kittens are not quite old enough yet to find their furr-ever homes, but they are undoubtedly looking forward to following in their mothers footsteps and enjoying lives of luxuries when they time is right. They may come from humble beginnings, but they’re worth their weight in vegetables – AND gold!

During ‘kitten season’, it’s extremely important to check your gardens, sheds, cars and garages regularly for stray cats and kittens, who will be drawn to the warmth and shelter if they have nowhere else to go. Please call us on 020 8962 8000 for further help and advice.