He was left at Dewdney Animal Hospital, cramped in a box fit to carry wine – six bottles of Franciscan Chablis.

The six-month-old cat’s fur was matted two inches thick in spots, and that, along with the tiny box he was abandoned in, prevented him from moving.

Slits had been cut through the thick cardboard walls, but the lack of air did nothing to help his existing respiratory problems.

“He had no food, no water, nothing,” said Dr. Adrian Walton. “That’s part of the reason why I got so angry.”

The cat was found abandoned at the front door of the veterinary clinic.

Walton isn’t sure how long he had been left there, but it may have been upwards of 24 hours, he said.

He was left at the front door sometime between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and was fortunately spotted by a worker who happened to be at the clinic on a day when it was closed.

Based on the animal’s condition, Walton said it’s apparent the cat hadn’t been properly cared for quite some time.

He arrived weak, tired and hungry, and he was quite thin from neglect.

“His fur, the best way to describe it is dreadlocks. His entire back is covered in dreadlocks,” Walton said. “It was a neglected kitten.”

He planned on cleaning the young cat Tuesday afternoon, but he expected it to be a gruelling ordeal for the animal.

“When you try and shave a cat that’s this matted, they resist after a very short period of time. We’re going to be giving him an injection to put him to sleep, put a tube down his throat with gas anesthetic, bathe him, shave him and clean him up,” said Walton. “The only way we can get him cleaned up is to put him to sleep ... He’s going to look like a different cat.”

The cat is a domestic longhair, possibly a Persian cross, and will be up for adoption at the Maple Ridge SPCA within days, after its neutered and vaccinated.

“The SPCA is going to be able to find a home for him in a day or two, no problem,” said Walton.

Mark Vosper, branch manager of the Maple Ridge SPCA, said although the cat’s story is upsetting, it’s not an uncommon occurrence.

“This time of year we have people going away on vacation and people moving homes; they’re the two main reasons at the moment that people are thinking of abandoning animals,” he said. “And, unfortunately, this is our slowest time of the year for adoptions. We’re not getting adopters through the door.”

Walton knows too well just how many animals are abandoned, after having seen quite a few land on his doorstep.

He said that in addition to dogs and cats, he has found cockatoos, lizards, turtles and injured wildlife, like squirrels, abandoned at his door.

“Unfortunately, we get this several times a year,” he said. “What happens is people think the best way to get rid of an unwanted pet is to dump it off at a pet store or a vet hospital. It’s not.”

One of the biggest concerns is that dumping the animal can do it more harm than good.

“If you leave an animal enclosed in a box, it’s probably got no access to water to start. There’s no heat in there. It could be stressed, it could affect its health and well being. It could get picked up and abused by a coyote,” said Vosper. “Or even somebody who just doesn’t like animals.”

He said that abandoning an animal shouldn’t be a last resort, as there are a number of options people can take if they can no longer care for an animal.

“They need to get the word out about a pet that needs a new home. They can let friends and family know by word of mouth, put notices at local vets in the area, they can put up notices in pet stores, and Craig’s List, they have a place where you can post listings,” said Vosper. “There’s lots and lots of different options. And the very, very last resort is the SPCA. But phone us, don’t just leave an animal.

“They need to try all other avenues first before they come to us. Even with us, we may not be able to take the animal in because we may be full. There’s sometimes a waiting list.”

He said that the SPCA doesn’t judge owners who have to bring in an animal they can no longer take care of, and it’s not something owners should feel embarrassed about.

The responsible thing to do is exhaust all avenues before contacting the SPCA, and for the sake of the animal’s health, never leave it abandoned.

• Anyone looking to adopt a pet is urged to contact the Maple Ridge SPCA at 604-463-9511 (10235 Jackson Road, Maple Ridge).