'Felines are making our lives a misery'

4:50pm Sunday 18th May 2008

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A FAMILY claim they are being hounded by a bunch of cats that are making their lives a misery.

Claudine Flanagan and her two daughters have been left frustrated by the cat mess left behind by a band of felines that hang around outside their home at night.

She has complained to Warrington Borough Council, but says she has been told that they cannot do anything to help her with the troublesome cats that she claims have ruined her garden.

The 60-year-old from Delamere Street said: "The cat mess is all over the flowers and we do not even know how to clean it. We can't even open the windows because the smell is so bad. Neither me or my daughters can pluck up the courage to go outside.

"Over the years the cat problem has escalated. When me moved in there wasn't any and there are dozens of them now."

The family say that had they been plagued by dogs then something would have been done, but because it is cats causing the problem the council say there is nothing it can do.

"If my dog was wandering the streets I would be for the high jump, why should cats be allowed to roam free. If my dog fouls in somebodies garden I would get a fine but cats are allowed to wander," she added.

She claims the cats also interrupt the family's sleep as they hang around outside the windows late into the night after Claudine has returned home from her job as a checkout assistant at Tesco at around 1am.

"There is a cat's chorus outside because they are all in high spirits at this time of the year," she commented.

Now she and daughters Avril and Patricia say they are sick of the antics of the moggies and want something to be done.

A spokesman for Warrington Borough Council said: "This is not something that the council is directly responsible for. However, Mrs Flanagan can ring the environmental health team on 443322 to talk through her situation and if necessary advise her on how to resolve any issues."