Bottle-fed kitten named by lottery players after mum is killed on an Outwell road

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

Orphaned Pickle and his three siblings – nicknamed the Tabby Rascals by their Cats Protection care team - have received round-the-clock care at a Norfolk cat centre since being rescued from under a bush when their mother was killed on busy Stow Road.

Players of People’s Postcode Lottery fell for the scrawny kitten 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. And it suits him well.

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.

The rescue was classed as an emergency case under lockdown restrictions so Cats Protection’s usual procedures kicked into place. After being given a clean bill of health, the little mites were transferred to the national cat charity’s nearby Dereham Adoption Centre, where staff could provide the essential 24-hour care, including bottle feeding.

The responsibility fell to Dereham Cat Care Assistant Lynzi Sizeland, whose role is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. For the past few weeks, Lynzi has dedicated much of her time to hand rearing the four tabby kittens and is largely to thank for their good health.

Lynzi 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.”

Hearing the kittens’ story and the day-and-night care being given sparked People’s Postcode Lottery to launch a social media campaign to invite suggestions for names, and Pickle won the poll. To fit the theme, staff at the Dereham Adoption Centre named the other three kittens Papaya, Peanut and Pesto.

Growing nicely and doing well at nearly six weeks old, the kittens seem oblivious to their tragic start in life. They will remain in care until lockdown restrictions have been lifted and they are old enough to find new homes.

Lynzi said: “They are now fully litter trained and are being weaned onto kitten food mashed up with milk and dry food. They love to play and are all already practising skills they will need in adulthood, like stalking and the side crab walk and fluffing themselves up! But they are still young and can be a bit wobbly on their legs, occasionally losing their balance, which always makes me smile.”

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

Fundraising has been curtailed by COVID-19 restrictions while cats like Pickle still need daily care from the team at Cats Protection’s Downham Market and Dereham Adoption Centres.

Donate to Downham Market's #HereForTheCats campaign: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/DownhamMarketAdoptionCentre