Police help fulfil dying man's wish for cats to be rehomed together

Cats Protection worked with officers who found instructions left by the man following his death

Police and Cats Protection help fulfil dying man’s wish for pets to be rehomed togetherCats Protection

Police Scotland joined forces with Cats Protection to fulfil a dying man’s wish for his cats to be rehomed together.

Officers in Hawick contacted the charity earlier this year after finding instructions left by a recently deceased man stating that he wanted Eskdale Cats Protection, based in Carlisle, to look after and rehome his cats, Bob and James.

A volunteer arrived at the station at 10pm on a Friday evening to collect Bob, who was taken to their emergency pen.

Fearing that James would realise his owner was not home and wander off, the charity advised officers to fix the property’s cat flap to stop him leaving.

James was finally caught and taken to an emergency pen with food and warmth in the early hours of the morning.

James and Bob have 'clearly been very loved'Cats Protection
James and Bob have ‘clearly been very loved’

The pair have now been rehomed together with their new mum, who says that they had “obviously been very loved”.

Sharing the story on social media, Cats Protection said: “Even in the wee small hours, we did our utmost to honour the gentleman’s wishes.

“After vet checks and medication being prescribed for James’ hypothyroidism, they were rehomed together.

“They have settled in perfectly. Their new mum said they had obviously been very much loved, as they are so friendly and content

“A very happy ending and a big thank you to Hawick Police for putting up with our calls so we could get the boys to safety.”

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Last updated Jun 19th, 2026 at 18:05

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