CATS Protection Okehampton and District branch is battling to stop some owners abandoning their cats.

The branch is currently looking after two cats that have been abandoned.

They were handed into the Okehampton branch after two dog walkers found three cats abandoned on Dartmoor.

A large male cat had been zipped inside a cool-bag, with a box overturned onto it. There were also two female cats inside a duvet cover rolled up inside another sheet.

The cats were initially taken to a boarding cattery, where they were looked after for three weeks.

One of the females was found a new home, but the other two were handed into Okehampton Cats Protection where they are being looked after until new homes can be found.

Around a third of all the cats taken in by Cats Protection across the UK are stray or abandoned, and the charity is desperate to highlight the problem.

Pat Sawyer, Okehampton branch co-ordinator said: 'Cats being dumped is a major problem for us because it can take weeks and sometimes hundreds of pounds to nurse just one unfortunate cat back to health.

'Though there is a tendency to regard cats as independent animals, they are like any other pet and need a loving owner to provide them with shelter, food, warmth and veterinary care.

'However, we seem to be living in a throw-away society where some people think nothing of just getting rid of innocent new born kittens and older cats and I think this is an extremely sad state of affairs.'

The male is black and white with medium length fur, and the female is grey with apricot markings. Both are friendly and affectionate, and must have been pets at some point.

If anyone has any information on the dumping, please call the RSPCA cruelty and information line on 0300 1234 999, or contact Okehampton Police on 08452 777 444.

For advice about caring for a cat or to offer a cat a home, call the Cats Protection Okehampton and District branch on 0845 371 2751.