A MOTHER has spoken of her “absolute disgust” after her young daughter’s pet kitten was dumped in a sealed dog waste bin.

The family found the six-month-old cat, named Gary, crying in the bin at the bottom of their road.

They want to warn other pet owners in the area to be on their guard.

Lisa Elsworth, who lives with her partner, Jake D’Alquen, and two daughters in Castle Road, Pickering, said it was a disgrace that someone could so such a thing to a small animal.

“Gary is my eldest daughter Indie’s cat, and she absolutely adores him,” she added.

“He is such a lovely cat, really friendly and everyone knew him.”

Lisa said she had been out for the afternoon and thought it was unusual when Gary did not appear when they returned home.

“I took our dogs out later in the evening for a walk and to look for him when I heard this awful crying sound,” she added.

“I thought at first he had fallen down and hurt his back or something but then I saw the lid on the dog waste bin move.

“I lifted up the lid but because of the trap door I couldn’t get him out, but fortunately the front was loose so I pulled that off and there was Gary.”

Lisa said the kitten had been “absolutely beside himself” and had run off at first before she managed to catch him.

“We brought Gary home and had him checked over but he won’t go out now or near other people,” she added.

“I am a big animal lover and it is an absolute disgrace that someone could be so cruel and heartless to a young, defenceless cat.”

“What makes the whole thing worse is that it must have taken quite a lot of force to get him in – it is disgraceful.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said causing unnecessary suffering to an animal was a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act, punishable with up to six months in prison and a fine of £20,000, and urged people to report any animal in distress to its 24-hour cruelty line on 0300 1234 999.