A 21-YEAR-OLD cat has been left homeless after her owner was forced to leave her behind when he had to move because of the bedroom tax.

Eunice Faulkner, from Blackburn Cat Rescue, said animals were the hidden victims of the bedroom tax, with many left homeless because their owners have had to downsize.

MORE TOP STORIES:

In the latest case Eunice received a call from a man saying that his 21-year-old cat was being left in the back garden because he was having to move to a one-bedroom block of flats in Shadsworth.

She said: “We went to the address and found this cat curled up on a mattress outside. It was heartbreaking.

“It’s a old cat, we think it is called Meg. It’s been taken to the vets and although it’s old it’s still quite healthy.

“We think the cat had been in the family for a while and it’s awful that this person has now had to leave it behind because he is being forced to move to a high-risk block of flats where no pets are allowed.”

Eunice believes the controversial bedroom tax, which was introduced in April 2013 and limits housing benefit claims to council or housing association tenants who are deemed to have ‘spare’ bedrooms, is leaving animal welfare charities such as Blackburn Cat Rescue inundated with requests to take in pets which can no longer be accommodated in homes.

She said: “The bedroom tax has caused an awful lot of problems, nobody has given any consideration to how it affects people who have pets who are then forced to move into smaller flats where they aren’t allowed to take their animals .”

Anyone interested in housing a cat should call 01254 245119.