On the left of the image large white text on a black background reads "How a Thermal Camera Helped Save Mother & Her Kittens". To the right of this image is a close-up picture of an adorable black kitten with white chest markings and big green eyes. In the top right corner is the RSPCA's Cancel Out Cruelty logo.

It’s International Cat Day – one of the cutest days of the year! In a recent blog, we demonstrated how thermal imaging cameras ensure swift, safe, and simple bee removal. However, did you know thermal imagers also play a critical role in animal rescue missions? July 2023 saw the dramatic rescue of a cat and her five kittens from a house in Harrow, London. Together, RSPCA animal rescue offers (AROs), Jade Guthrie and Holly Walker, and the London Fire Brigade used thermal imaging to locate and remove six felines from a loft.[1]

An individual alerted the RSPCA to an animal welfare concern after seeing several kittens on a roof in North Harrow. The kittens could get into the loft but as Jade Guthrie explains:

“We [the RSPCA AROs] were really worried about them because while mum could get off the roof easily enough, a drop from that height would have been potentially fatal for the kittens.”

Jade Guthrie, ‘Five kittens and their mum rescued from loft in dramatic North Harrow rescue'

Due to the darkness of the attic, thermal cameras were required to identify the kittens. Thermal imaging works by detecting infrared energy and converting this into a heat map. Therefore, the cameras detect the cats’ body heat, allowing the rescuers to see where they are, even in complete darkness.

A mostly black cat with white socks and white markings on her nose and chest stares at the camera. She has green eyes and long white whiskers. She is sat on a beige platform of a scratching pillar in a large RSPCA cage. On the floor next to her is a kitten with very similar markings.
Image Source: RSPCA via Chris Mitchell, ‘Five kittens and their mum rescued from loft in dramatic North Harrow rescue'

Despite the help of thermal technology, ARO Jade Guthrie recalls that:

“It was a challenging rescue, ARO Holly Walker and I went back several times to catch all the kittens and their mother. It took two and a half hours to catch the first three. They may have been small but they were very fast!”

Jade Guthrie, ‘Five kittens and their mum rescued from loft in dramatic North Harrow rescue'

In the end, it took a week to catch all the kittens and bring them to RSPCA Millbrook Animal Centre. The mother, estimated to be around eighteen months old, was named Flame, while her eight-week-old kittens (three boys and two girls) were christened Phoenix, Sam, Aiden, Enya, and Seraphina. Happy with their safe recovery, Jade Guthrie remarks:

“The rescue was hard work but all five kittens and mum are safe so it was all worth it.”

Jade Guthrie, ‘Five kittens and their mum rescued from loft in dramatic North Harrow rescue'
A cat and five kittens are in an RSPCA cage. All are mostly black with white markings. One kitten lies on the top platform of a beige scratching post. On the level below the top kitten is the mother cat. Beneath her on the bottom platform is another kitten. Another kitten sits on the cage ledge. The final kitten is on the floor. It is peaking out from around a chair covered in a blue towel.
Image Source: RSPCA via Chris Mitchell, ‘Five kittens and their mum rescued from loft in dramatic North Harrow rescue'

The RSPCA is highlighting the animal rescue as part of their Cancel Out Cruelty campaign. This drive is endeavouring to raise funds in support of these recovery missions. The rescue also highlights the need for cat microchipping, which will become mandatory from next year (2024), and the importance of neutering. During the breeding season (April to September), many animal charities are overwhelmed with cats and kittens. Neutering would go a long way to relieving this pressure while also ensuring the welfare of felines.

Further Information

For help or advice regarding the welfare of animals, particularly how to care for pets during a cost-of-living crisis, please visit the RSPCA’s website.

Alternatively, for additional information regarding thermal imaging technology and thermal cameras, please contact our Sales team on 01642 931 329 or via our online form.

In the meantime, you can browse our range of thermal imaging cameras below:

Browse Thermal Cameras

[1] The following source provided the information and images for this blog: