Dumped cat hits the jackpot

Dumped cat Penny will be Wellington-bound to start her new life PHOTO/CAL ROBERTS

A kitten found abandoned in a cage at the Masterton dump has landed on her feet.

Penny was discovered six weeks ago after a tip-off to Dump Cats, a charity established to scour the landfill to rescue and rehome wayward felines.

Dump Cats founder Sally McLennan said Penny’s nightmare tale will end “happily ever after,” when her new owners come to collect on Saturday.

Penny’s new owner, Angela Jelaca, gave a glimpse of Penny’s new life.

“She’ll be a suburban girl in a large home with sea views, surrounded by trees and bush for a little bit then moving to a large block of land next year.”

“She will even have her own iPad to play mouse-chasing games and watch YouTube clips on.”

Jelaca adopted a kitten at the beginning of the year, but unbeknownst to her, the kitten had already had a virus that proved fatal.

“I didn’t know if I wanted to have my heart broken again,” she said.

But when she saw Penny on Facebook, Jelaca was touched by her story.

“I hate the thought of animals or children thinking that there’s no one out there who cares or loves them.

“I’m looking forward to getting another fur baby back in the house to spoil rotten,” she said.

When rescuers McLennan and volunteer Tamara Olliver rescued Penny in early August, she was in a rat trap surrounded by filth at the landfill.

She was starving, dehydrated, she had cat flu, and both eyes were infected.

Penny was cleaned, de-sexed and vaccinated — but before that, she required plenty of nursing to get back to a healthy weight.

Penny soon tripled her original weight and was finally fit for a new home this month.

“We’re so excited. There were many applicants, many only going partway through the process,” McLennan said.

She wanted to say a big “thank you” to those who showed interest and supported Dump Cats so far.

“We’ve had a few donations, as well, which is really helpful.”

While Penny had found her happy ending, McLennan said the kitten was just one of many cats needing new homes.

The Dump Cats team will continue to search at the landfill, to make sure cats like Penny are given a second chance.

“There’s still a lot to do, and hopefully we can trap as many as possible.”