MY young daughter and I visited the RSPCA off Water Lane, York.

We have been toying with the idea of getting a cat or kitten for a while and thought the best way was to wander around the RSPCA until an animal appealed to us.

We were disappointed to find we could not see the cats but could look at photographs of them and subject ourselves to a home visit to ascertain our suitability.

This seems excessive. Why not wait until we have definitely chosen a cat then do the home visit? I could buy a moggie from the newspaper for a few pounds and no one would inspect me, so the RSPCA is putting up big barriers for prospective adopters.

The £50 pricetag for a cat (which we were more than happy to pay to a worthy cause) is likely to put off many people wishing to re-home a kitten. I imagine adult cat re-housing is almost unheard of.

When I was a childminder one of our occasional trips was to the RSPCA. The children saw the different types of animals then we would chat about what having a pet means and how to look after them, including diet, etc. We would always donate cash and enjoy the visit. Hopefully, those children took the idea of having a pet seriously. Anyone now wishing to buy a pet would be better off doing so from the newspaper - possibly not understanding that particular animal's needs - than having to jump through animal shelter hoops.

This will obviously lead to more animals being abandoned and create a vicious circle.

Claire Baron,

York Road,

Strensall, York.

Updated: 10:38 Friday, June 24, 2005