By Mary Kathryn Carpenter

NATCHEZ — A litter of abandoned kittens has been given a fresh start after being rescued by local firefighter Thomas McGinty.

During a routine inspection inside the city limits, McGinty noticed a paper bag, and, after investigating, located three kittens inside, according to Natchez-Adams County Humane Society President Kathy Fitch.

The kittens are about six weeks old and were dehydrated when McGinty and other firefighters brought them to the humane society, but were otherwise in good health and have been placed in a foster home, Fitch said.

The kittens will soon be available for adoption.

Abandoned and stray animals continue to be an issue in the Miss-Lou area, Fitch said.

 

“This isn’t an uncommon thing,” she said. “There are other options besides discarding kittens in a paper bag. One way to do that is to bring the kittens by the shelter.”

If you cannot care for a litter of kittens or puppies, you can take them to the Natchez-Adams County Humane Society.

If you drop off a litter, you can receive a voucher to have the parent pet spayed or neutered.

Abandoning domestic animals is a crime, Fitch said.

“The level of penalty in animal cruelty cases depends on a lot of circumstances,” Fitch said. “In some cases it can be a felony.”

The Humane Society is currently having a buy-one get-one adoption on kittens and cats. For $35, you can adopt two kittens or cats and have them spayed or neutered.