The mother of the woman who dumped nine defenceless baby kittens on the steps of a Stevenage church said her daughter is struggling with mental illness.

The Comet: The kittens were dumped outside a Stevenage church.The kittens were dumped outside a Stevenage church. (Image: Archant)

The Comet visited the house in Stevenage today to ask the woman, who we have chosen not to name, why she dumped the cats on the steps of St Andrew and St George church in St George’s Way on Sunday, May 10.

She was not there but her mother admitted that her daughter has mental health issues and is now in a hospital recovering.

The kittens are believed to be from two litters and between six and nine weeks old.

They are currently being cared for by the North Herts branch of Cats Protection. The charity is now trying to get hold of the owners to neuter the kittens’ mothers to stop the same thing happening again.

Branch co-ordinator Bianca Kubler said: “We need the permission of the owners to get the mothers neutered and we would urge them to get in touch with us.

“If we don’t this same thing could happen again in a few months time which would benefit no one.”

A foster carer in Stevenage is looking after the kittens and the charity will pay around £120 each for them to be wormed, microchipped, neutered and treated for fleas before being rehomed.

All of this expense is a great drain on the charity’s resources and could have be avoided, according to Bianca.

“We will always help as much as we can,” she said. “Even if we can’t take the animals straight away because we’ve got no space we will offer all the support we can. So if you’ve got cats you can’t look after please ring us rather than dump them because it causes a lot of unnecessary hurt and expense.”

If you’re having issues looking after your cats ring the charity on 01438 228877 or visit www.northherts.cats.org.uk.