A shelter in Missouri had an unexpected influx of feline residents earlier this week when 18 cats were abandoned outside the facility in two large plastic tubs.
On Tuesday, the large containers were dropped in a resident’s front yard across the road from the Stray Rescue of St. Louis shelter.
“A man saw someone out of his window dropping the totes off and pulling away,” the shelter’s Natalie Thomson told Newsweek.
The concerned neighbor noticed air holes in the containers and immediately loaded the first one into his car and drove it to Stray Rescue. “He said the second tub didn’t fit in his car, so he left to get it and bring it back,” Thomson said.
In total, the two containers held 18 cats—eight older kittens in one and two adult cats with eight tiny, nursing kittens in the other. Despite their shocking abandonment, all of the cats were surprisingly in good health.
“We were so nervous opening the lids,” Thomson said, expressing the anxiety the staff felt, not knowing what they might find inside. “We’re so thankful they got to us when they did.”
The day’s surprises didn’t end there either. “We weren’t ready to accept 18 new babies,” Natalie said, explaining that the shelter was already at full capacity. To add to the chaos, a mother cat and her kitten were left in their lobby shortly after the totes arrived, bringing the total number of rescues to 20 in less than an hour.
With space short at the shelter, Stray Rescue of St. Louis turned to the community, putting out a plea on Facebook for foster families and donations, and the community didn’t hesitate.
“Our fosters stepped up in a big way—they are all in foster homes now,” Thomson said. The cats will remain in foster care until they are spayed or neutered, after which they’ll be ready for adoption into forever homes.
The shelter emphasizes the importance of spaying and neutering pets to prevent situations like this, and Thomson shared a reminder that the number of abandoned animals is rising.
“There are too many unwanted animals. If you are in over your head, please contact a rescue or shelter near you for help—there are resources out there,” she said.