Five tiny tabby kittens found shivering in the rain at a scrap yard in South Africa have been rescued and are now thriving in foster care.

The kittens, only about four weeks old, were discovered on September 18 at a scrap yard in Cato Ridge, near Durban, huddled among car parts and old tyres. They were brought to the Animal Anti-Cruelty League’s Hammarsdale branch.

“These little ones are growing beautifully and are just the sweetest, happiest babies,” the AACL said in an update on September 28. “It is incredible to see the difference a little safety, warmth, good food, and lots of love can make.”

Rescuers said the kittens were far too young to survive the cold, wet and dangerous environment of the scrap yard. They have been dewormed, fed and kept warm by foster carers.

The AACL runs shelters, low-cost vet care and sterilisation programmes across the region. The charity said the five kittens will be put up for adoption once they are old enough, and urged people to adopt rather than shop for pets.