THESE tiny kittens appear cute enough to melt the hardest of hearts but they were found dumped outside an animal shelter in Cheshire.

The abandoned kittens were found in a cardboard box outside the RSPCA wildlife centre in Nantwich, after a passer-by spotted one of them running around the car park.

Staff at the centre believe the kittens to be from two separate litters, aged around six weeks and nine weeks. And now they are appealing for help to track down the owner.

"It's shocking that anyone could abandon any animal in this way, especially such young kittens," said Dr Andrew Kelly, manager of the RSPCA's Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery.

"They were all in good physical condition, which suggests they may have once belonged to someone.

"Because they were found together in a box it seems unlikely they found their own way there; it's more probable they were deliberately abandoned.

"We're now just hoping someone will come forward with vital information to help us discover what happened. If anyone knows who these kittens may once have belonged to we would urge them to contact us as soon as possible."

The kittens were found in the car park at around 12.30pm on Saturday when they were spotted by a member of the public. And within the next few weeks staff at the centre will find new homes for them.

Meanwhile, in light of their discovery, Dr Kelly is also urging owners to have their cats neutered to avoid unwanted litters of kittens.

He said: "It is vital that cat owners do the responsible thing and have their cats neutered to stop them having unwanted pregnancies.

"Many people wrongly assume that it is healthy for a cat to have a first litter, but this is simply not the case and a cat as young as three months old can be neutered.

"Not only will neutering ease the growing population it will also reduce the likelihood of so many animals being abandoned."

Bosses at the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery are appealing for anyone with information about the abandoned kittens to contact the RSPCA National Cruelty and Advice Line on 0300 123 4999.

Alternatively anyone who can offer a home for a cat in need can contact them on 0300 123 0722 for further information.