Cat missing for five months with kittens back home after discovered in Hampshire substation

Bella, a three-year-old grey-blue British shorthair, had been missing for nearly five months.

The cat and her four kittens were discovered under leaves, cobwebs and a crisp packet.

They were tucked away from the elements under a cabinet that stores electrical equipment when Garry Black and Terry Amor, low voltage fitters for Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, came upon them while working near Albion Towers in Southampton.

Bella had a microchip that was found on the second scan.

The pussycat has been returned to her ‘delighted’ owners, who believed she was ‘gone forever’.

All four kittens, including grey-furred Milos and his black-and-white brother Luka, were found health and have been rehomed.

‘Sometimes we’ll see birds and smaller animals around the substations as they can provide some warmth during winter months, but we didn’t expect to find five healthy felines when we removed the cabinet cover,’ Mr Black said.

‘We think the mother cat must have squeezed into the cabinet through the small ventilation gap at the bottom of the cabinet door before she had the kittens, as it would have been difficult for her to come in and out of the small space carrying each one after they were born.’

The animals were taken to Cats Protection’s Southampton Branch.

Steve Ridd, the branch’s welfare team leader, said: ‘Once we had the details, we were able to contact the owners and discovered their cat Bella had disappeared in May.

‘They were delighted to have their cat back but had recently got another kitten because they believed Bella had gone forever and so asked us to rehome her kittens.

SEE ALSO: Leigh Park woman jailed for child abuse carried out when she was a man

‘Now 10 weeks old, they have had their first vaccinations and have all been found new homes.’

The younger moggies are particularly enjoying playing with toy mince and feathers.

Mr Amor added: ‘It’s great to see that Bella has now been returned home and that her kittens have found their fur-ever families.

‘Garry and I knew as soon as we saw her that we had to do the best for her and her kittens, and it’s through Cat Protection’s perseverance in tracking the owner that we now have a happy ending for all.’