Heart-warming Sussex kitten rescue unites two RSPCA centres

The kittens, named Ember and Lumen, were brought to the Isle of Wight RSPCA branch two weeks ago.

They were just a week old and needed to be hand-reared by staff who fed them every two hours.

The staff wanted to find a surrogate mum for the kittens and began looking for a nursing mother with a litter of a similar age.

Isle of Wight and West Sussex teams join forces for kitten rescue (Image: RSPCA) Mount Noddy Animal Centre, in the RSPCA West Sussex region, found a stray cat called Brook and her three kittens, and they were transferred to RSPCA Isle of Wight.

To ease the transition, Ember and Lumen were wrapped in Brook's bedding to take on her scent overnight.

The next day, they were introduced during a routine feed, and Brook immediately accepted them as her own.

Stray cat accepts two orphaned kittens, creating a thriving blended litter (Image: RSPCA) Her original kittens were briefly bemused at the idea of sharing their milk but quickly adapted and now enjoy the company of their new playmates.

Brook and all five kittens are now thriving under the care of RSPCA Isle of Wight.

They will remain at the centre until they are ready for adoption, which should be in approximately seven weeks.

Georgina Davies, the cattery manager, said: "This touching story is a testament to the compassion shown by staff across the RSPCA network.

"We are deeply grateful to Mount Noddy for working with us to ensure the best possible outcome for this newly blended family.

"And of course, the team and I are looking forward to a little more sleep."

The RSPCA is a charity and relies on donations to continue its work.

To help support the charity, visit the RSPCA Isle of Wight website, or to find out more about adopting an animal, visit the RSPCA website.