As she strolled along an alleyway in Stratford, England, a woman heard the sound of meowing emanating from four tightly sealed boxes. She acted quickly and informed The Celia Hammond Animal Trust, who sprang into action to rescue the trapped felines. This sorrowful tale is depicted in the accompanying video.

According to the Celia Hammond Animal Trust, a woman returning from work one night noticed numerous sealed cardboard boxes in an alleyway located near a busy road. Upon passing by the alley, she heard meowing noises and decided to investigate further. After returning to the location, she discovered that the boxes were completely sealed shut with excessive amounts of parcel tape. Fortunately, the trust was called and quickly rescued 11 young cats from the boxes, which lacked adequate air holes and could have suffocated.

Since we were unfamiliar with the cats’ dispositions, we refrained from opening the boxes and potentially allowing them to escape onto the street. Instead, we created small openings in the cardboard to allow air to circulate without giving the cats enough space to break free.
Thankfully, it only took a brief journey to return to the clinic. Given the possibility of unintentionally harming the felines, we decided against using scissors to open the boxes and instead opted for a butter knife to quickly release them.

It is assumed that the cats were deliberately placed in the boxes with the intention for them to perish, as it is common knowledge that animals require oxygen to survive. The cats could not have been confined for very long as veterinarians estimated they would not have survived more than a couple of hours without sufficient oxygen. It is peculiar that these once friendly cats, who were clearly loved and cared for, ended up in such a dire situation. It is possible that a family member or neighbor could have committed this heinous act. Upon arrival at the clinic, the cats were found to be extremely underweight and infested with fleas, which were promptly treated. Before being re-homed, the cats will need to be nourished and made healthy through neutering, vaccinations, and microchipping. The trust decided to place the cats in pairs or groups, and they were eventually adopted into loving homes. The trust expresses gratitude towards those who contributed towards the cats’ welfare.