The RSPCA has launched an enquiry after six tiny kittens, aged just nine weeks old, were found abandoned on a rural road in Carmarthenshire.

The six male ginger kittens were discovered in the Mynydd Cerrig area of the Gwendraeth Valley on the evening of July 10.

“They were dumped, just like rubbish on the side of the road,” said RSPCA rescue officer Rohan Barker.

South Wales Guardian: Fortunately the little ones were unharmedFortunately the little ones were unharmed

“The person who found them said they were running around on the road, but they managed to scoop them up and take them home safely. Luckily these kittens were not injured and were found before anything serious happened to them.”

The six kittens were transferred to RSPCA Llys Nini Branch's animal centre in Penllergaer, Swansea, and have been keeping staff busy with their antics.

They have been named Peanut, Bumble, Carrot, Jaffa, Nemo and Rusty and are likely to be made available for rehoming in the next few weeks, following vaccinations and after being neutered.

South Wales Guardian: They can now play safely, thanks to the RSPCAThey can now play safely, thanks to the RSPCA

Anyone with information concerning the kittens’ abandonment can contact the RSPCA inspectorate appeal line on 0300 123 8018.

The abandoned kittens are sadly typical of some of the jobs dealt with by the RSPCA’s frontline officers, particularly during the summer months.

Reports of beatings, shootings, abandonments and poisonings that tend to rise over the summer months has prompted the charity to launch their Cancel Out Cruelty campaign. The RSPCA receives around 90,000 calls to its cruelty line every month and investigates 6,000 reports of deliberate animal cruelty. But in the summer (during July and August) calls rise to 134,000 a month.

Thursday (July 20) is traditionally the RSPCA’s busiest day and this year 5,971 reports were made to the RSPCA’s cruelty hotline and 842 incidents had to be investigated by frontline rescuers.