First of all, we tried to ask the RSPCA for answers the moment after this happened, but they refused to answer our questions and threatened us, so I decided to make my story public so that other people would understand what they have done and encourage them to answer me properly.

Secondly, Middlesbrough has some very nice areas. Please don't be so judgemental to comment on the area I am from. We live on the edges of Middlesbrough in a beautiful cul-de-sac and the streets are very safe if I do say so myself. My mum and dad were in the house, they didn't even bother to knock on the door or ring the number on Sophies collar.

Lastly, my cat was looking healthy before they had taken her. I understand they can take a sudden turn, however I find it hard to believe that in-between the hours of 2pm and 3pm when she had just been running through the house she had rolled over in the garden for the RSPCA to be called and them take her. Also if that had happened, all they had to do was knock on the door and let us know so we could do something.

You don't need to explain yourself Mary I think most pet owners understand.

This sort of story really frightens me.

Can I ask some questions?

You say your mum and dad were in the house, how did the RSPCA get into your back garden?

Do you know who called them?

What have they said about why and how they got into your property without being let in?

Is this a criminal offence to steal a cat?

Was the cat under any care at your own vets for the renal failure?

Have they said why they didnt contact you by phone or knock at the front door?

Of course you can.

My back garden backs onto a road inbetween us and a school, so they could have went around the back without having to pass through the front if that makes sense.

We have an idea who called them but its unfair to assume, we have no enemies however, we are shocked that whoever raised concern didn't just come and speak to us, but then I understand they may have been afraid of how we might react. We'd have been happy to explain to anybody that Sophie was old and precious.

From what I have heard it is illegal for an RSPCA 'inspector' steal a cat. I have read a lot of RSPCA protocol and guidelines and apparently they cannot go onto your property without a police officer present or take an animal unless it is dire emergency, neither was applicable.

We were in regular contact with our vet assessing what we should do with Sophie, we were deciding whether she would be best to force her to take medication when it may not work or to leave her live out her next few weeks in peace as long as she wasn't in any discomfort. Its a difficult situation, but she wasn't in any state at all. In fact, I shown somebody a picture of her from the August just yesterday, and they thought she looked very young, I can't stress enough how brilliant she was getting on, she was very alert, her fur was still thick and shiny, she was just a small cat, always had been.

We asked them all of these questions, they literally replied with threats. They didn't acknowledge anything we had told them and they basically said if we didn't keep our mouths shut we would be prosecuted. Well prosecuted or not, they've kept me quiet for too long, my cat deserves more than that and all I can do is try to make people more aware so it doesn't happen again.

Did you actually read this thread?

I have only skim read the thread, but just i think this is the gist:.

Old cat is in garden. Cat does not look well at all.
Someone has called RSPCA. They turn up, remove cat and take straight to vet.
Vet phones owners. Owners turn up. Cat is in a bad way and the decision is taken to have it put to sleep.


The only thing the RSPCA did (arguably) wrong here is taking the cat without checking with the owners first. The rest of it sounds like someone devastated by the loss of a pet and is just looking for someone to blame. Understandable, but not a healthy thing to peruse in the way the OP is going about it.

Well it is heartbreaking to read this Mary. I am fortunate to know my downstairs neighbour, her eldest cat is about 20 now and still has a venture out, but is not so sprightly legwise, but does manage it onto the back green and back without a fuss.

I do think it was inhumane to cause distress to the cat and yourself..they should have allowed you to make the final decision with your own family vet, to me that is the crux of the matter. All the best, hope you find peace Mary xx

Absolutely molliepops, the dignity of the cat and owner has been disregarded..its horrible really..I don't care if I come across as overdramatic to some..RSPCA and SSPCA are big players in animal charities..they need to be scrutinised.

I might be getting things confused but if the RSPCA received a call about the cat, do they not then have a responsibility towards it? I'm not saying they definitely acted in the correct manner by taking the cat, but without actually being there in that moment and actually seeing it, I don't think any of us can judge one way or another. I have had pets that have been fine one minute and looking very ill the next. If the RSPCA acted improperly (and I do think they should have contacted the family sooner) then they should be brought to book but if they were acting in what they thought was the best interests of the animal which just had unfortunate consequences then it should be left at that. I totally understand why the family are upset at the loss of a pet but I don't think plastering an individual RSPCA employees name over a petition and blaming her directly for the death of the cat is the way to go. Obviously the family would know the cat was elderly and maybe didn't look so good but wasn't in any distress but would that be so obvious to a stranger? She was clearly concerned enough to take the animal to the vet and couldn't have predicted the outcome. Maybe their guidelines do need looking at but to directly blame an individual by name on a public forum doesn't sit right with me

The problem is IMO that the RSPCA and other large organisations when you complain to them, or even just ask a question clam up blame anyone but themselves and refuse to cooperate. So if a mistake was made and in my mind there was a glaring mistake, if they had apologised, spoken nicely, commiserated whatever I am sure Mary would have accepted it and could by now have moved on and grieved properly. I hate the word closure but that was what was needed. An end that Mary could accept, understand and believe would never happen to another cat. We wouldn't be here talking about it if that had happened.

Obviously not the crusade for... justice would still be going on.

I don't think that can be said in fairness because none of it happened so she hasn't managed to move on.

Thats got nothing to do with the RSPCA or the cat it's all down to the OPs emotional baggage and mental condition. Any admission from the RSPCA would have just made them the target of even more abuse. Especialy after the vet blamed them for everything instead of saying I'm sorry your cat was old and sick and died.

Well if you can't see it has an awful lot to do with the RSPCA we can't get any closer to agreement.

Well I would never agree with attacking an animal charity due to a personal vendetta.

Whereas I can see them as a huge organisation that cannot be protected from complaints when they do wrong.

If I'm honest, I'm not sure you could know it was the RSPCA that caused it and unless you can prove it, I don't think you'll get anywhere. They might have done those things you said, but unless there is hard evidence (and I'm not saying you're lying), I can't see you getting anywhere.

We lost our old lady to kidney failure and it all happened very suddenly. Fine in the morning, came home at lunchtime and she was fine, came home later and she didn't move from her 'spot' which was very unusual. She seemed really unwell, took her to the vets and her kidneys were failing an she had to be put down. She had been having problems for a while, but nothing too serious, just getting old. We went from fine to losing her in less than 12 hours.

The vet pretty much acknowledged she was dying, yes? Cats are resilient old buggers and don't often show they are ill or in pain until it's very serious or near the end, so it's not beyond the realms of possibility she would have passed then regardless.

I'm sorry you lost your cat, it's horrible, but I think your bereavement is misplaced. Sorry.

I expected this thread to be very lively today after the RSPCA story in the Daily Mail .A guy had his prized 20 year old pig taken away and put down without the owners knowledge .There were other stories of people who had cats whisked away by the RSPCA without their owners knowledge .I don't think the O.P's case is rare .
We had a grievance with them over an old dog we wanted to adopt who had never even been viewed once and had a broken leg .They did the inspection and said yes we could have him, then the next day - a woman who refused to give her name !! rang and said no you can't have him ,and the staffer had been wrong to inform is we could .
I complained bitterly but you just get leaflets saying each RSPCA works separately .It was a farce , we got nowhere and I'll bet that old dog got put down .

Yes I have to say I felt sorry for the pig man, he obviously loved the pig and wasn't given a chance to get to the vet, it makes me wonder if people when they report things realise the harm they may be doing, or do they just want the animal helped ? because it seems help is not exactly what the RSPCA is doing.