This is a novel way of abandoning your cat secretly but in plain sight. The story comes from Scotland, UK. We are told by the online website fifetoday.co.uk that a man walked into a pet shop in Fife, Dunfermline Pets at Home, and abandoned a black cat and her three kittens at the premises. The Scottish SPCA were alerted by staff at the store.
The SPCA are looking to find the man responsible. CCTV video shows that he entered the store with the cats in a cream carrier. He walked around and then approached the counter. The man then placed the carrier with the cats inside on the store counter and walked out.
The cats are in good health and are being cared for at one of the Scottish SPCA centres. The search for the man continues and people are asked to call the SPCA confidential animal helpline on 03000 999 999.
Comment: this is the first time that I have personally encountered, online, a story in which a person wishing to relinquish their cat walks into a pet shop to do so. The normal course of action is to walk into a cat or animal rescue centre. This is often done by abandoning the cat in a box or perhaps a carrier outside the front doors of the shelter during closing hours. This ensures anonymity.
Often people relinquishing cats are embarrassed at their failure. And it is a failure by the caretaker. In the era of viral Facebook cat rescue stories they might be concerned about being exposed and criticised on Facebook. It can be very hurtful on Facebook.
