The enmity between cat-lovers and cat-haters is too serious to be made the subject of an amusing courtroom drama called "Put the boot into puss" (May 30). I admire Francine Clee's erudition which is an attempt to sideline the real problems.

Cats are territorial animals and when there are too many of them close together their territories overlap. Unfortunately for me they overlap in my garden.

I rarely look out of my window and don't see a cat.

My plants are in beautiful bloom one day and dying of cat acid spray the next.

Most of the local birds are ground feeders so food must be put on the ground for them. These local cats, bred on expensive Super Whiskas, simply love the birds' food and drinking water.

Obviously, their owners don't look after them as well as they think. But why should I feed their cats?

As for the caterwauling at night, the cats are commiserating with one another because they have been spayed or castrated and can't do what comes naturally. Although no animal-lover, I would not do this to any creature.

J Stockton,

Ridgeway, York.

Updated: 11:22 Wednesday, June 04, 2003