Kittens dumped in a cardboard box on Gorleston High Street

The mother cat and her ginger and boy male kitten (Image: Archant)

The RSPCA has condemned whoever abandoned the animals in the cold weather on Monday night.

The tortoiseshell mother and her three babies were found late at night in a cardboard box next to a bin. They were taken to Haven Veterinary Surgeons in Great Yarmouth where staff have been looking after them in the practice kennels.

This black and white cat was found on Gorleston bypass after a road traffic accident and is now being looked after by RSPCA East Norfolk (Image: Archant)

At the time of going to print, the young mum and two of the kittens had homes to go to but the little female tortoiseshell was still in need of a new owner.

'They were all quite healthy and they are a good weight,' said veterinary nurse Verna Carroll.

'The kittens are quite young still but they have been weaned. We think they are probably at least seven weeks old, but it's difficult to tell.

'Normally we'd try and rehome them through the RSPCA but they are full and can only take in sick cats at the moment.'

The kittens - a ginger and white boy, a ginger boy and the female tortoiseshell, are all fairly used to being handled suggesting they had been with an owner until they were discarded.

For months, the RSPCA East Norfolk branch has been at crisis point with the number of cats it has in care.

Branch manager Debra Cook said: 'We have many animals suffering from neglect that need to come in, but we can't take them in until we have space.

'We are just getting over a 60-plus multi- cat household, which pushed us to the limits and we still have eight or so that we need to find homes for from that one rescue. We also have numerous cats that are ill and currently recovering.'

One of the sick cats currently being cared for by the branch, which looks after cats at the Broadland Cattery in Ingham, near Stalham, and at foster homes is a black and white male found on Gorleston bypass after possibly being hit by a car.

'He has had emergency treatment given by RSPCA and had a dislocated hip so is on strict cage rest for a few weeks,' said Debra.

'If no one comes forward for him, we will look to rehome him. He has been neutered and was wearing a black collar and bell.'

Those interested in homing the female kitten are asked to call Haven vets on 01493 416700.

Anyone thinking about taking in a cat - or anyone who thinks they may know the owner of the black and white male - is urged to call the RSPCA adoption line on 07867 972870.