Blue Cross: Newborn kitten almost crushed in bin lorry finds new home - after he was 'thrown out with trash'

A two-day-old kitten just seconds away from being crushed in a bin lorry has found a new home in time for Christmas, after being saved by a binman.

The kitten, who has been given the name Tiny Tim, had been dumped in a dustbin with the household rubbish, when the quick-thinking refuse worker heard his tiny cries and fished him out of the trash. The newborn's eye were not open yet and he weighed just 93g - less than a satsuma - when his rescuers rushed him to the Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Merton, south London.

Tiny Tim was transferred to Victoria Animal Hospital for urgent 24-hour care, as he needed to be hand-fed every two hours and kept in an incubator for warmth. But the pure white kitten recovered in leaps and bounds, and when he was finally strong enough he was transferred to the charity's Animal Rehoming Centre in Burford, Oxfordshire, to search for a new home.

Following his brush with death, Tiny Tim was able to find a loving new home with another Blue Cross rescue kitten named Oskie - the sole survivor from his litter. Three-legged Oskie had his hind leg amputated after an infection, and the pair are said to be "best friends" who "love spending lots of time playing and snuggling up together".

Blue Cross London animal welfare officer Amanda Rumball told SWNS Tiny Tim was "a lucky little mite". "What may have happened to his siblings is just unbearable to think about," she added. "We are so happy he is now in a loving home where he is happy, healthy and fed, which is all pets want for Christmas.”

His new owner Laura Morris also works for the Blue Cross, and originally fostered the kitten, before deciding to adopt him permanently. She could not believe he had been put in a bin. "He’s so cute and lovely... Tiny Tim’s so inquisitive, confident and happy – it’s incredibly rewarding to see him as he is now, compared to when he first came to us."

This comes as the RSPCA released shocking statistics, showing that close to 18,000 animals had been abandoned in the UK so far this year. The animal rescue charity - like many others - feared it was on the brink of a "winter crisis", after calls to its emergency line reached a three-year high, and staff had to respond to an increasing number of animals being given up and dumped.

RSPCA inspectorate commissioner Dermot Murphy , said he blamed the cost of living crisis for the huge abandonment uptick of 33%. “The combined effects of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis has created a perfect storm," he said. “Behind these shocking statistics are thousands of vulnerable animals. Each one is a valuable life in urgent need of our help.

“We’re desperately concerned about the coming winter months... Abandonments have soared and many rescue centres are full to bursting, so we are facing an unprecedented winter crisis."

The RSPCA is calling for animal lovers to donate to its 'Join the Christmas Rescue' campaign to enable rescuers ahead of what's expected to be a busy season. Blue Cross is also running a Christmas appeal, to help as many animals as possible while its resources are stretched to the limit.