CAT RESCUE: Getting it wrong.

Seaham is a small coastal town just a couple of miles south of Sunderland. Like many north east towns it used to have a pit (as in coal). Coal mining in the region was very strong. Even Sunderland, world famous once upon a time for its shipbuilding had several pits including one where Sunderland Association Fooball team now play; it's filled in and covered by the Stadium of Light.

Faded glories, all gone.

The main street of Seaham facing out to sea is quite attractive with its mix of the new and the old Victorian buildings. But behind it is a picture of a struggle to overcome decline with its blend of new buildings, council housing, and rusting, but some still functioning, factories.

It was in the ground of one of these factories that a nice lady feeds feral cats at the same time every day. I'd come to pick up the one cat that wasn't feral (pictured above) but was in, she said, declining condition. So we turned up and so did a feral black cat. Then a little feral female tabby which usually hung around with the one I'd come for. After half an hour and when I was just about to give up, it arrived. Allowing me to stroke it, I grabbed it and bagged it, took it home, placed it in the cage, gave it food and water and left it overnight.

Next morning, swimming at 7.30, 8.15 collect female cat for neutering and deliver to vets. Unfortunately, this little sweet house cat didn't want to go in the cat carrier, though go it did, but when I arrived at the vets it had burst out and hidden under the passenger seat. Five minutes later and some noticeable blood loss, I handed it over.

Home and I got the rescued cat into the van and headed to Stray Aid (see previous posts). The reaction I got wasn't what I expected. Instead I found myself on the receiving end of a lecture about rescuing stray cats when there was no way of ascertaining that they were indeed stray. That this could open us up to being sued for catnapping (no joke). I offered to take it back but Sue the vet (pun unintended), not the person who delivered the lecture that being her husband, was concerned about the cat's condition -it being very apathetic.

To cut a short story even shorter: it had feline leukemia and was put to sleep.

But basically, when someone gets in touch and say she's (it's always a she) worried about a stray cat, we (that is me, as representing Animal Krackers) can't, in law, do anything expect tell her to get in touch with the RSPCA who are allowed to rescue stray cats; except they'll probably do nothing.

I'm not feeling happy about the entire thing and will probably take it up another time.