Neglectful Couple Leaves Cats Starving and Abandoned
Despite repeated RSPCA warnings, a selfish couple left their cats – Sparkle, Marble, HJ, and Shadow – alone for up to 48 hours at a time. Officers found the animals clawing at the door, hungry and desperate for food.
RSPCA’s Bold Tactics Expose Cruel Neglect
Charity inspectors tried to engage with the pair, even sealing the door with tape to check if anyone was looking after the cats. On four occasions, the tape remained untouched, proving the animals were left unattended for days. Through the letterbox, officers snapped photos and videos showing the cats meowing and scratching in hunger.
Worried sick, RSPCA staff fed the cats through the letterbox, with the famished felines snatching food from their hands.
Filthy Flat Forces Cat Removal
The couple finally made contact, blaming a friend for feeding the cats. But police and RSPCA inspector Amy Pellegrini found the flat in distressing condition—dark, cold, and covered in mess with three filthy litter trays.
The cats were removed for their safety, and the couple was banned from keeping animals until the flat was tidied and the cats properly fed.
Cats Abandoned Yet Again as Couple Splits
The couple split and took the cats to separate addresses, but neglect didn’t stop. Driver moved to Victoria Arcade in Great Yarmouth but left the cats abandoned. Meanwhile, Wildman briefly housed two cats elsewhere before illegally returning them to the grim High Street flat in Lowestoft.
After Christmas, the RSPCA had to step back in. The cats were underweight and hungry, with no food or water at Driver’s flat. Described as “filthy,” conditions led to the cats’ removal by police and placement into RSPCA care.
“I believed the cats were starving because of the scratches at the door and the loud noises they were making,” said Inspector Pellegrini.
Justice Served: Couple Fined and Banned from Owning Pets
The couple’s claims of daily visits to feed the cats were disproved by evidence. The desperate behaviour of the cats, fighting for every morsel of food, told the real story.
Sentenced to a £120 fine, £120 costs, and a £34 victim surcharge, Driver and Wildman now face a five-year ban on keeping animals.
