AT JUST five weeks old, they were dumped on frosty farmland and left to perish.

But the pair of very poorly kittens narrowly escaped death after being discovered barely breathing at the eleventh hour.

The moggies, who had contracted cat flu, were spotted in the middle of a field two weeks ago and rushed to Drove Veterinary Hospital, in Croft Road, by kind-hearted strangers.

Against all odds and despite being severely dehydrated, Claus, a boy, and Tinsel, a little girl, survived and regained their strength thanks to the team’s round-the-clock care.

Now in perfect health, the striking kittens are looking for a loving and safe home for Christmas.

When they were first discovered, the frail siblings were filthy and their covered in snot preventing them from seeing or breathing properly.

They were placed on drips and put on a course of antibiotics. After a tentative couple of days, they pulled through and have now nearly doubled in size.

“Everybody here took it to heart,” said Drove Veterinary Hospital marketing co-ordinator Jane Carter. “They were dirty and very poorly little things. They were definitely not farm kittens and we think they were dumped there because they were full of cat flu. They were dehydrated and needed intensive treatment.”

She added: “Their whole faces were caked in goo and they were full of worms. Obviously a young animal is like a baby, they go downhill so quickly.

“We thought they were going to die, especially the little boy. When they came in he was completely flat and unresponsive.

“The vets worked on them quite a long time. They started perking up and now they look like normal kittens. They are healthy, running around and playing.”

Even after their first round of vaccinations in a couple of weeks, the siblings will remain at risk of cat flu for their rest of their lives. This means they should not be adopted by anyone with other pets as the animals would contract the virus as well.

“It could be passed to other pets forever,” said Jane. “At times of stress the flu could come back again. Or it may never come back. We can’t be sure. We would also like them to be indoor cats. They would be fine with children.”

The vet clinic is also very keen to remind anyone interested in adopting the fur balls ahead of the festive season that a pet is for life.

She added: “They do need a home for Christmas but people need to think twice adopting a kitten. A pet is for life not just for Christmas.”

To adopt Claus and Tinsel contact Jane on 01793 501480, email jcarter@drovevets.co.uk or check the Drove Veterinary Hospital Facebook page.