September 23, 2021 5.20 pm This story is over 30 months old

All cats saved from Catmando house after weeks of protest and uproar

Michelle is now treating the cats to help rehome them
27 cats were handed over to Page's Pet Rescue from Catmando's house in Gainsborough on Wednesday. | Photo: Michelle Page
By Local Democracy Reporter

Cat rescue groups have successfully managed to get the remaining 27 cats from Catmando’s house in Gainsborough and taken them into care, after weeks of protests outside his home.

Protests began outside a house on Portland Terrace in Gainsborough on Thursday, September 9, when groups claimed that there was a man keeping over 50 cats in poor living conditions in his home.

These demonstrations then became regular as more horror stories were being revealed, and protestors said they had seen the man walking cats on leads with bells on them.

Local cat rescue groups want the animals removed from the house in Gainsborough. | Photo: Michelle Page

Cat rescue groups notified the RSPCA and Lincolnshire Police and investigations began to try and establish the circumstances surrounding this man, self-labelled as ‘Catmando’.

Police attended the property during the morning of Tuesday, September 14, rescuing 11 cats but sadly losing one as it died.

12 cats were rescued, including one pictured left who is being treated and a kitten (right) who sadly died. | Photo: Michelle Page

Upon entering the property, it was said that the condition was disgusting and all the drains were blocked with excrement.

Michelle Page of Page’s Pet Rescue was at the forefront of the daily protests, and confirmed to The Lincolnite that all the remaining cats had been handed over from Catmando’s house to her rescue on Tuesday afternoon.

The cats were being fed rice, mince, bread and ribs on the bone out of a pan when living at Catmando’s house. | Photo: Michelle Page

According to Michelle, a total of 37 cats were seized, 10 of which went to other rescues in the area, and the other 27 went to Page’s.

They are currently in the process of chipping the animals and offering veterinary care for them in anticipation of finding new owners for the felines.

One particular cat has also been reunited with its owner three years after they first declared it missing, after an appeal posted online by Michelle saw pictures of the pet match the description given.

27 cats are now in the hands of Page’s Pet Rescue as they looks for new homes for felines. | Photo: Michelle Page

It has been an incredibly long process for Michelle, who said she has hardly slept since the protests began, due to desperately trying to rescue these cats.

She said: “It has been so stressful, we’ve been out night and day to try and sort it, and naturally it’s had a massive impact on us.

“Obviously it’s a massive weight lifted off our shoulders knowing that the cats are safe, but the process has been so mentally draining and now we are being met with the financial burden of caring for all these cats who need help.”

Some of the cats arrived at the rescue in horrendous condition, owing perhaps to the poor living standards they had at Catmando’s home. | Photo: Michelle Page

Michelle said that some cats require dental work, while others are covered with fleas and some even need X-rays and surgery to fix their problems before she can even consider finding a home for them.

To try and help raise money to properly treat the cats before they find their new forever homes, Page’s Pet Rescue have set up a fundraiser and an Amazon Wishlist, which you can visit by clicking the relevant links.

Two of the cats that were taken into the rescue from Catmando’s house. | Photo: Michelle Page

At the time of reporting, almost £1,500 has been donated to the fundraiser, which will allow for Michelle to cover medical bills and microchipping before they are rehoused.

Michelle has also told The Lincolnite that Ian ‘Catmando’ has threatened her numerous times since she started her protests, which police have said they are investigating.

“He just seems to have a problem with me”, she said. “We’re just trying to provide these cats with the best quality of life.”