PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- A cat was rescued from a trash bin in Portsmouth Monday night where it was left to die, sealed in a box.

John Schnitzler, of Eliot, Maine, found the cat after hearing it meow.

"I got my flashlight and couldn't see (the cat), so I started poking around and there was this box, and I rolled it over and there was definitely something in it and it was this cat," Schnitzler said.

Veterinarians said that the cat is probably about 12 years old. It wasn't sick, but it appeared to have been neglected. When it was brought to Sagamore Animal Hospital, its fur was a mess, and its teeth showed signs of dental disease.

The cat's claws had also grown so long that they had started to corkscrew into its pads.

"It doesn't look like she was in there for too long, but any amount of time in a Dumpster is too long, in my opinion," veterinarian Geraldine Aviza said.

Schnitzler said that he would have taken the cat in, but he worried it wouldn't get along with his pets. But he said he couldn't leave it buried in the trash.

"It was whining. It wasn't right," Schnitzler said. "You knew he was in trouble. It wasn't a typical cat meow. It was a troubled cat."

The cat needs about 10 days of care at the veterinarian before it can be adopted. It has kidney disease and needs treatment and a new diet. Anyone interested in adoption information can contact Sagamore Animal Hospital at (603) 431-8785.