MISS Shazia Hussain (Letters, January 9), is quite correct to criticise the RSPCA for failing to deal with the stray cats.

I have taken in stray, abandoned and neglected animals, which the RSPCA would not do anything about because they were not cruelty cases or neglected enough.

Abandoned or stray cats and dogs do not qualify as cruelty/neglect cases because, they say, cats are hunters and can find their own food and because dogs have to be reported to the dog warden or taken to the police station.

Well, their definition of cruelty/neglect is certainly different from mine and other like-minded people's. Unneutred cats will breed and the problem of strays becomes an epidemic.

The country as a whole already has an over-population of stray cats.

Tom cats will search out a female in season and will fight with other cats for the right to mate.

As for dogs, a stray, hungry dog is a potential danger to any person who happens to be around. Tangle with a dog trying to find food and you may find that you're attending your local casualty department for treatment for bites or worse. And children being children are naturally drawn to animals -- well, think about it.

But, of course, the RSPCA knows best. Over the years I have had many reasons to contact them and I have not been impressed with the action they have taken. In fact, local animal welfare groups usually end up having to deal with the problems.

If it wasn't for people like Eunice Faulkener, of Blackburn Cat Rescue, Pets in Need, Moggies and other charities, I would hate to see what would happen to the animals which, through no fault of their own, are made to suffer.

Come on RSPCA, it's time you did what the public donate their money for and end the suffering of cats and dogs, not just the animals that are not too common to the normal person.

S BUCKLEY (Mrs), Higher Perry Street, Darwen.