A adorable kitten with a backwards leg facing being put down, has been saved by kind vets in St Albans.

About a month ago Hayley Naunton, 31, found a tiny kitten scavenging for food outside her house in Woodhall - it seemed to be limping and was on its own.

Scared by humans, the little cat hid underneath her decking and refused to come out. The RSPCA told Hayley there was nothing they could do because the kitten was not technically trapped.

Hayley fed it four times a day for three weeks, before becoming frustrated and catching it in a humane trap.

Bringing it inside, Hayley was shocked to find the kitten’s front leg was backwards - a “horrific break”.

After more than 140 minutes on hold to the RSPCA, Hayley was told to take it to her nearest vet. There, she was told euthanasia was the only funded option.

She said: “I thought, ‘it’s a tiny kitten, it’s a badly broken leg, maybe she needs amputation, but not euthanasia’. I thought ‘no way, it would be such a waste’.”

After using her own cash for pain medication, Hayley took it to Animalism Veterinary Surgeons on St Stephen’s Hill in St Albans - they agreed to do all treatment for free.

Hayley said the vets believe she may have fallen from a window, got her leg trapped, or was born with the deformity.

Now named Poppy, the cat should have no problem leading a normal life with only three legs.

Dr André Hess at Animalism said: “I am anxious to do what is best for the animal. It’s just like any other kitten - a perky, happy, friendly kitten - it doesn’t know it has a deformity. We need to remind ourselves why we became vets and veterinary nurses in the first place - the commercial element doesn’t have to apply all the time.”

An RSPCA spokesperson said it pledges £50 towards emergency treatment as standard practice, adding: “The charity also provides financial support to cover emergency veterinary care for animals without an owner, such as stray cats.

“As a charity with limited resources and because there are, sadly, so many animals that need our help, we must limit the amount we can provide to veterinary practices to cover emergency treatment to £50.”

She said the RSPCA appreciate all the help vets give in treating animals for free, and it rescued and collected 129,000 animals last year.