12 kittens have died after being dumped outside Barrie animal clinic in boxes

12 kittens pass away after being abandoned A dozen kittens have died after being abandoned among several others in cardboard boxes outside a Barrie animal clinic.

Warning: Details and images in this article may be disturbing to some readers.

A dozen kittens have died after being dumped outside a Barrie animal clinic this summer.

Officials say the kittens passed away due to an upper respiratory infection and the feline distemper virus.

The kittens were among 23 Ragdoll cats left abandoned in cardboard boxes on the porch of the Aldergrove Animal Clinic in late July.

Four breeding cats and 19 kittens were discovered in varying states of unwell, malnourished, underweight and some with severe eye conditions.

"All were afflicted with severe conjunctivitis or diarrhea or both, and so they were all quite ill and required treatment," said Aldergrove Animal Clinic Veterinarian Virginia Cornell.

Furry Friends Animal Shelter posted the update on Monday, stating in part, "This is an update that we have been dreading having to make, and there is nothing that we could write that would ever adequately express the depth of grief that our volunteers and fosters are experiencing right now."

Abandoned cat Kitten in need of medical treatment after being found in a cardboard box at a vet clinic in Barrie, Ont. on July 31, 2023. (CTV News/Ian Duffy)

While the remaining animals are doing better, Cornell said they're not quite out of the woods yet, adding one of the breeding cats arrived pregnant and just had a litter of five kittens.

"All we can do is keep working with our veterinary partners, giving them all of the good food, medication, and supportive care we can, and bolster them with as much love as we can muster," the post continued.

Officials said they believed the cats were abandoned by someone trying to breed Ragdoll cats who became overwhelmed, calling it irresponsible reproduction.

"Their kittens had gotten ill, and they couldn't afford to take care of them and didn't know what to do," Cornell said, adding this incident is yet another example of why spaying and neutering pets is so important.

Meanwhile, Furry Friends said generous donations helped the shelter afford the costly veterinary care the felines required.

"We would never have been able to give these cats and kittens this chance without you supporting us. Please, keep these little ones close to your heart and in your thoughts and prayers, and we promise we will keep fighting for them," the post concluded.

To donate to Furry Friends Animal Shelter in Barrie, click here.