Cat euthanised after one of 'worst cases of neglect' vet had ever seen

A man from Clydebank has been handed a five-year animal ban after neglecting his cat so severely that she had to be put down to end her suffering.

Scottish SPCA officers were contacted by a vet in September 2024 after Leslie John Precey brought his three-year-old cat, Ursula, to the practice in a critical condition.

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The feline was suffering from severe anaemia, flea infestation, hair loss, and extreme malnourishment, and the vet said evidence suggested she had endured months of avoidable suffering.

Her flea infestation had led to acute anaemia, while large patches of fur had fallen out, leaving her skin raw and inflamed. The vet said her temperature was so low it didn’t register on the thermometer.

Shortly after arriving at the practice, Ursula fell unconscious, and she was put to sleep shortly afterwards.

The attending vet described the the case as “one of the worst examples of neglect” they had ever encountered.

Evidence suggested that Ursula had endured months of avoidable suffering. Scottish SPCA via Supplied

The vet said: “Ursula’s case is one of the worst examples of neglect I’ve encountered in my long career.

“She was literally just a bag of bones covered with diseased skin. Her body temperature was so low that it didn’t register on the thermometer, she was emaciated and profoundly anaemic. Most of her body was missing fur, her skin was raw, flea dirt was everywhere, and fleas were swarming her body.

“Ursula’s death was totally avoidable. Her cause of death was severe anaemia caused by the swarm of fleas draining her life blood away over a period of several weeks.

“Any reasonable pet owner would not have watched an animal visibly and very obviously decline over a period of probably several months and not seek veterinary attention until that animal was collapsed and dying, especially after already receiving advice and guidance.”

A Scottish SPCA inspector had previously visited Precey’s home in November 2023, following concerns about four cats living there.

At that time, Precey was given support and advice on how to properly care for his animals. The organisation had no further involvement until the veterinary report nearly a year later.

Leslie John Precey appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, January 10, where he was sentenced over the treatment of Ursula.

In addition to the ban on owning and keeping animals, he received a community payback order requiring him to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Following the case, the remaining cats at Precey’s residence was taken into Scottish SPCA care, while two others previously kept at the property had already been rehomed.

In response, the charity has renewed calls for stronger monitoring of offenders, urging the creation of a national register for those convicted of animal cruelty.