CALLS are being made for people to think twice before abandoning their pets after four cats were found dumped in a bag in woods.

A woman stumbled upon a zipped-up canvas holdall containing four cats while she was walking her dogs in woods near Abbey Farm, Thetford, on Sunday.

Two of the cats, which are ginger and white, are thought to be about six months old while other two, a tabby and a black and white cat, are thought to be a year old.

It is not known how long they had been in the bag but it is thought they had been there for a least a day.

Jackie Nunn, re-homing officer for Breckland Cats Protection, which has put the cats into foster care, said they were covered in faeces and were starving when they were found.

She said: “They are such friendly and lovely cats and they’ve all got red flea collars which contradicts leaving them in a zip-up bag in the woods.”

All four of the cats are male. The two younger ones have gone to one home while the other two have gone to another.

Mrs Nunn added: “There’s absolutely no need to abandon cats in the woods like this – if that woman didn’t find them, they could have all died. We are genuinely full but people can always contact us. We may not be able to take them in straightaway but we will try to help, give them other numbers to ring and offer advice.”

Anyone with information about the cats or their owners should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 or Breckland Cats Protection on 01842 810018.

Breckland Cats Protection will be holding a spring fair on March 9, at St Cuthberts Church Hall, in Thetford. There will be a tombola, crafts and cats and kittens looking for new homes.