This is another example of misguided zealotry by an RSPCA inspector. It is quite shocking. The story concerns a Turkish Van cat living in Tring, Hertfordshire, England. In Europe and America the Turkish Van is a semi-long-haired purebred cat.
This particular cat’s name was Claude. He was 16 years old and therefore with long hair it sometimes became matted. This is normal for an elderly cat because they find it difficult to groom and it can be difficult for cat caretakers to prevent matting taking place. Essentially, it requires daily grooming and even that might not be enough sometimes. Even the veterinarian was unable to groom Claude without putting him under anaesthetic. I can understand that too. It’s about high standard preventative grooming which I fully admit can be difficult to maintain. It is not a sign of bad cat caretaking to have a very old cat with matted fur, in my opinion.
Anyway Claude’s owners, Mr & Mrs Byrnes, were unable to keep Claude’s fur from matting. However, Mrs Byrnes kept her cat’s coat in reasonable condition by snipping away the matted bits while Claude slept.
Claude used to go out occasionally and a neighbour spotted his coat and made a complaint to the RSPCA. I don’t mind people making complaints about cat abuse but I think this neighbour was misguided as well. The neighbour could have at least discussed the matter with Mr & Mrs Byrnes which would have avoided this farce and saved Claude’s life as it happens.
Well the RSPCA turned up and seized Claude and insisted that his was put down by a veterinarian. The RSPCA inspector threatened Mr & Mrs Byrnes:
“If you two don’t authorise that the vet can euthanise Claude then there is an option of overriding that decision where I can go to the police who will authorise it for me.”
The RSPCA inspector then threatened the owners with a possible criminal conviction and subsequent fine and/or possible imprisonment etc.. Mrs Byrnes was in tears. In addition the RSPCA inspector forbade the two children of the family from saying their goodbyes to Claude.
The veterinarian involved could not see a reason why Claude should be euthanised. Claude was thin and his fur was matted but that in itself is not enough – obviously. In the end, the cat owners agreed that Claude could be put down because they were under the cosh and from their point of view they had no choice it seems to me.
In addition, and in any case, it was likely that Claude would have to be euthanised after the summer but they wanted their cat to have one last good summer. There was no sign as I understand it that Claude was in discomfort or had any serious, chronic illness requiring immediate action.
After Claude was put to sleep (actually killed), last May, the RSPCA issued legal proceedings for cruelty against Mr Mrs Byrnes. The overzealous and rather nasty behaviour of the RSPCA in this instance was brought to a halt by the Crown Prosecution Service who refused to prosecute the case because it was deemed not to be in the public interest. Common sense prevailed.
I don’t think that it takes the lawyers of the Crown Prosecution Service to decide that this was a ridiculously misguided process in two parts firstly to kill a cat that was reasonably healthy albeit very old and possibly frail and then to prosecute the owners on two charges of animal cruelty. If Mr & Mrs Byrnes had been prosecuted for animal cruelty then you could prosecute half of the cat owners in the UK.
Mr & Mrs Byrnes are clearly, to anyone with some common sense, reasonable cat caretakers. It is unforgivable I think that the RSPCA should have put them, their cat and their children through this ordeal.
It is similar to a previously ridiculous example of misuse of animal welfare legislation upon which this website reported some time ago. See also RSPCA stole my cats.
What a terrible shame there is no consistency with the RSPCA and that is why I never donate because I hear of too many cases where they do nothing. I hope someone from the RSPCA is watching ‘Dangerous Dogs’ and they prosecute that crack head Moron who was breeding his bitch time and again and selling the puppies off for £60 per time as young as five or six weeks old to feed his habit but they probably won’t.
I’ve had many traumatic dealings with them mostly involving strays including one instance where a stray cat died in my arms with his foot hanging by a thread after being run over. I waited an hour for them to come out.
I feel deeply sorry for Claude and his owners and he should never have been killed.
Hi there Michael Thanks. Yes I believe they need doing twice a day. As the Matts, Matt very easily especially in the Winter Time. I just wanted to show a Photo of what they look like with Full Winter Coat. Smokey is 7 Years old now is Starting to become Older. Its hard to believe Michael that they are both Rescue Cats and Moggies I believe. I think Rebel was a Wild Cat before he was domesticated. They just such lovely Loving Animals.
Your cats are beautiful. I believe that long haired cats should be groomed daily without fail and if the cat is old it could be twice daily. That might sound like too much but it is is amazing how quickly matts form in older cats. And once formed they are impossible to remove without cutting them out.
It makes me wonder what happens to the wild cats. They don’t get matted fur. Perhaps domestic long haired cats have evolved to have fur that is too long. A mistake.
Rebel above and now smokey
Opps wrong one. will try again.
Well thats just wrong. All Over dematting?? Well I used to have a friend who had Disabilities. She had a Cat called Fluff-cause he was really fluffy. He got Matted badly he Lived to 16 Years. I Find it difficult to De-Matt My Three Cats but Especially Rebel & Smokey. As they have their Full Winter Coat on Now, which Ill post as pictures. Got Told by Vet, how to properly look after them. They said to Groom regularly especially around the back and behind. Only time I ever need to Take them to Vet when its got really Bad and cant take them out. I would say Rebel is the Most Fluffy and his fur is really thick, as Smokey is more fine. I wish I could show you all so hard to explain.