Plymouth animal charity launches urgent Christmas appeal to save life of tiny kitten

A tiny rescue kitten named Gabriel is fighting for his life after being brought to Gables Dogs and Cats Home shortly after birth. Staff at the Plymouth-based animal rescue centre say he is the only survivor from a litter of seven kittens that were rejected by their mother.

The kittens were taken to Gables the morning after they were born. Three were barely alive on arrival and staff said they were extremely cold, with their bodies beginning to shut down. 

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Despite efforts to revive them, two more died within an hour, leaving Gabriel as the only surviving kitten.

Weighing just 50 grams, Gabriel is being fed specialist baby cat milk every hour and monitored around the clock.

General Manager Claire Sparkes said the team acted immediately when the kittens arrived.

“When they arrived at Gables, I placed the tiny kittens straight onto a heat pad to warm them slowly,” she said. “When newborn kittens get too cold they are unable to suckle, so you can’t get any milk into them. Slowly little Gabriel started to perk up after a few hours and I was able to feed him a small amount of milk with a specialist syringe.”

Ms Sparkes said Gabriel had been too weak to feed normally, adding: “It was a case of drip-feeding him tiny amounts every hour, just to give him the strength to keep going. He is such a sweet little kitten and I am doing absolutely everything I can to help him, but as he is so tiny and frail we are all hoping for a Christmas miracle that he survives.”

ABOVE: The kitten requires around-the-clock attention to survive (Image: Gables)

Gables estimates it will cost around £500 to provide the specialist milk, medication and routine care Gabriel will need as he grows.

The charity, which does not receive government funding, says rising costs continue to place pressure on its work, but staff remain determined to support Gabriel.

Gables cares for nearly 1,000 animals a year and rehomes dogs and cats across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the Isles of Scilly.

People who wish to support Gabriel’s ongoing care can donate through Gables’ official website, phone line or by post.