Two very different cat stories in last Friday's paper. On the back page we have Mary Richards' charming account of getting used to having a pussy in the house again and on the front page the shocking story of four kittens dumped amidst the rubbish.

This seems a good time to tell of my recent experience which really opened my eyes to the good work done by the RSPCA.

Last week in August and nearing the end of what had been a wonderful camping holiday at Roadford Lake my daughter and her family , whilst taking a late evening stroll, heard faint mewings and in the hollow in an old tree found a kitten, barely alive and obviously dehydrated and starving.

It was known that a nearby derelict barn was the haunt of feral cats but a search of the area yielded no sign of any cat life.

it was thought that the mother, having put the new born kitten in the tree for safety, had herself come to grief, possibly taken by one of the many foxes in the area.

So, darkness already having fallen, pussy was brought back to the tent and kept warm while advice as sought on the phone from various local Cats Protection League people.

But it was through phoning the RSPCA's 24 hour emergency line on 0990555999 that positive action ensued.

That just a new-born barely alive kitten was involved was immaterial. They said they would arrange for a vet to come out to the camp site from Lifton. By this time the rain was pouring down, but the obviously very dedicated vet turned up after 90 minutes or so at the rather isolated site and we were all able to breathe a sign of relief.

The vet said he would see the kitten got the attention it needed for survival and undertook to contact my daughter in due course who had already decided to give it a home.

In fact after three days or so my daughter was able to take the kitten home and thanks mainly to the interest and devotion shown by their father, my grandchildren now have a wonderful new playmate 'lucky' who never having had a cat mother has adopted them all as their family.

GODFREY WYCISK

Lower Downgate,

Callington