Jasper the kitten who was rescued last week after being trapped in wet asphalt passed away on Sunday afternoon.
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The ginger kitten who spent a cold night stuck in some freshly-laid bitumen died at 4:45 pm after taking a turn for the worse.
Discovered by two workmen last Monday, it's believed Jasper sought out the warmth of the bitumen as temperatures plummeted overnight.
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Just Cats founder Rachel Beech who cared for the precocious feline following his rescue said she was shocked and saddened by his passing.
"We're all sad and we're all in shock, he was such a great kitten," she said
"We were all so hopeful he would recover being such a young cat."
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Ms Beech said the cause of death was determined to be lung failure brought on by toxic fumes breathed after spending the night in the wet asphalt.
She said Jasper's initial recovery was going well providing a glimmer of hope he would recover, but a turn for the worse saw the kitten rushed back into care and placed on oxygen for several days.
Ms Beach said the last few days had been an emotional rollercoaster as Jasper never stopped fighting but in the end the ordeal proved too much for the scrappy kitten.
She said after hearing of Jasper's ordeal there was an outpouring of love and support from the community many people wanting the kitten to pull through.
"The feedback has been amazing from the community, so many people wanted him to live," she said.
"He was the cat that touched a nation."