Family's cat found dumped in charity collection bin in Norton, Sheffield, as RSPCA appeal for information

The beloved family pet was discovered in the charity bin in the car park of The Water Tower pub on Hemsworth Road, in Norton, after a passerby who was donating luckily heard the frightened feline’s cries for help and rescued her.

Thanks to a microchip, RSPCA inspector Kim Greaves was able to identify the mistreated mog as Martha and reunite the adorable furball with her grateful owners who live in a nearby street.

The charity is now trying to track down the culprit, whose shocking actions could easily have killed poor Martha.

Inspector Greaves said: “These charity bins take some pushing open and it is impossible that Martha made herself in there on her own.

“Apparently she is a friendly cat so someone has taken advantage of her sweet nature and then callously dumped her before walking off and leaving her in a situation which could very easily have led to her death.

“If she had not been found she could have starved or if the bin was collected she would have almost certainly have died. She was discovered in the bin on Wednesday, November 24 and her owner said she had been missing for 12 hours.

“I am now appealing for anyone with any information about who is responsible to contact the RSPCA appeals line number on 0300 123 8018.”

As Martha recovers from her ordeal, her owners have warned other pet owners in the area to be vigilant.

“We are so grateful to the person who found Martha and to the RSPCA for bringing her home,” said the family, who asked to remain anonymous.

“I hope the person who did this is found - and at the very least they realise how their irresponsible behavior could have led to tragedy if the bin was collected or she was not found.

“She is such a lovely friendly cat - she has distinctive dark colouring on her eyebrows which make her look angry - but she is such a sweetheart.”

Kim’s colleague, animal rescue officer Liz Braidey, has been trying to find any CCTV of the incident but has so far found none covering that area.

She said the incident showed just how important microchipping your pet is because it ensures that should the animal be lost or injured they can easily be returned home.

“While collars and tags can easily be removed – microchipping identifies pets permanently and effectively,” she said.

“If an owner moves house or changes their telephone number they must also make sure that they tell the database they are registered with so that they have up-to-date contact details.”

The RSPCA is calling on animal lovers to Join the Christmas Rescue to help keep its teams out on the frontline, doing whatever it takes to rescue every animal they can.

To Join the Christmas Rescue and help the charity;s rescuers be there for animals in need, visit www.rspca.org.uk/rescuexmas.