Curious case of abandoned cats

The moggies were discovered in carry cages in two separate locations in the city – a church and a flat close – on the same day.

The first cat, a black, two-year-old male, was found by a member of the public in the lobby of St Paul's Church on Pilrig Street on Tuesday afternoon. He was handed in to nearby Oceanlife pet shop.

The Scottish SPCA was later called to rescue a second cat – a three-year-old fawn and white female – who was discovered in the vestibule of a block of flats on Buccleuch Terrace.

The animal welfare charity is appealing to the public to help solve the mystery of why the two cats, both in excellent condition, were dumped.

Both cats were taken to the Scottish SPCA's Edinburgh and Lothians Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Balerno, where staff named them Darcy and Berry.

Ambulance driver Mairi Stewart, who was called to the pet shop to pick up the first cat, Darcy, said: "He is a very large long-haired male cat and was crammed into a small cardboard pet carrier. He has clearly had a loving home recently as he is healthy and well-groomed. He is also very friendly.

"Whoever dumped him obviously wanted him to be found as he was left in a very busy area just off Leith Walk."

Inspector Jenny Scott, who collected the second cat, Berry, said the carrier she was found in resembled a "posh handbag". She said: "This young female is stunning to look at and in very good bodily condition.

"She was found in a Burberry-patterned pet carrier which had been left in the vestibule entrance to the flats. It just looked like a posh handbag."

Inspector Scott added: "Usually when we find an abandoned animal, it is in poor condition, because the owner has been unable to care for it properly, but these cats are both perfectly healthy and we can't understand why anyone would have given them up."

Darcy is now being cared for at the Scottish SPCA's Dumbarton centre.

A spokeswoman for the charity said it is not thought that the two cats were dumped by the same owner."

She added: "There is a slim possibility that they have been accidentally left behind, so we are appealing for the owners to come forward if they have left them in error.