Luck turned for little Pickle after lottery players were charmed by the bottle-fed kitten’s cheeky smile.

Eastern Daily Press: Pickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats ProtectionPickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats Protection (Image: Archant)

The orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road.

At only a few weeks old, the kittens could have perished if not for a quick-thinking man who saw the tragic accident.

He knew the nursing mother had left a litter of tiny feral kittens under shrubs in his garden, so scooped them up into a cardboard box and rushed to Cats Protection’s nearby Downham Market Adoption Centre.

Dereham Cat Care Assistant Lynzi Sizeland, has dedicated much of her time to hand rearing the four tabby kittens and is largely to thank for their good health.

Eastern Daily Press: Pickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats ProtectionPickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats Protection (Image: Archant)

She said: “The kittens were too young to fend for themselves, so I had to change my daily routine to play mum to them.

“Their mum had given then a good start in life as they were surprisingly clean and healthy when they came in. Thanks to her, they had a fighting chance.

“It has been a challenge with four hungry and playful kittens to feed, but it’s what we do and I love my job.

“Despite the current restrictions, we remain #HereForTheCats.”

Eastern Daily Press: Pickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats ProtectionPickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats Protection (Image: Archant)

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery fell for the diminutive devil after his plight was posted in a social media appeal to pick a name to set him on the path to a better life.

It wasn’t long before names flooded in, with Pickle, Pesto, Simba and Cody selected as the top suggestions. After a series of Instagram votes, the little chap was named Pickle.

They will remain in care until lockdown restrictions have been lifted and they are old enough to find new homes.

The Dereham Adoption Centre is one of the facilities picked to spearhead Cats Protection’s new Hands-Free Homing scheme, enabling cats to be rehomed under contactless conditions.

Eastern Daily Press: Pickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats ProtectionPickle the orphaned kitten and his three siblings have received round-the-clock care at Cats Protection in Dereham since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on Wisbech Road. picture: Cats Protection (Image: Archant)

To learn more about the process and to see cats available to be rehomed visit: www.cats.org.uk/dereham/adopt-a-cat