Talk about nine lives …

Four Persian cats were apparently left on the side of the roadto die in a briar-filled ditch over the weekend but were saved byalert citizens and the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League.

Beverly Smith of Denton Trail spotted the four cats, left withtwo pet carriers, near a bridge on the gravel road around 7 a.m.Monday.

“I was driving by and saw them. They must have been left onSunday night because they weren’t here Sunday,” she said, addingthat Denton Trail has been a common area for dumping animals overthe past several years.

She contacted her daughter, Tina Rippy, who called BARLrepresentatives and brought food for the cats.

Ed Gove, whose company houses the BARL’s site for dogs, went topick up the flat-faced Persians that appeared to be pure-bred.

Gove expressed the sentiments of others who saw the condition ofthe poor animals.

“This is about the worst thing we’ve seen in animal crueltysince we’ve been active in the Brookhaven Animal Rescue League,” hesaid.

The cats’ ribs and backbones were showing through their terriblymatted hair. They were lethargic and barely moving from apparentlack of food and water.

“These animals have been neglected for months obviously,” saidGove.

Gove took the animals to a local veterinarian’s office forexamination and treatment.

“We’re going to let them examine the cats and see if they’rehealthy enough for adoption,” he said.