AN ANIMAL charity is appealing for information after three kittens were abandoned in a cardboard box by the side of a busy road in Suffolk.

The small kittens were spotted roaming around the roadside having been left in a lay by near Wickhambrook, near Bury St Edmunds.

Thought to be around seven weeks old, two of the tiny cats had struggled free from the box when they were discovered by a member of the public earlier this month.

The ginger male called Sid and the black female, now named Roxy, survived but a third kitten found in the box had died before it could be rescued.

RSPCA fosterer Karen is looking after the tiny animals while a new home is found for them.

“People must be desperate to leave animals in a box by the road,” she said. “If they leave them where it’s going to be clearly seen, they are just asking for help.”

The friendly brother and sister are already settling in to their temporary home.

“Roxy is really sweet,” Karen said. “She has an enormous purr and is a very affectionate little cat.

“Sid likes big cuddles and loves to sleep on your tummy for hours.”

Karen said the RSPCA had seen a huge increase in the number of kittens this year, as owners can’t afford to get their cats neutered.

Financial problems have also led to a drop in vaccinations, leading to an outbreak of cat flu in the county, she said.

“We have been inundated,” Karen said. “There are so many late litters this year.

“People need to get their animals spayed.”

Richard Lythgoe, an RSPCA inspector, appealed for information about the abandonment.

“We would welcome any help the public can give us in tracking down the person who left these young animals in such a vulnerable and dangerous position,” he said.

Anyone who can offer kittens homes can visit the RSPCA West Suffolk branch website at www.rspcasuffolk.org.uk or call 0845 2000 287.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the RSPCA on 0300 123 4999.