Cat owners who claimed pet was paralysed after leaping from 30ft-high window banned

A couple have been banned from keeping cats when their paralysed pet puss had to be put to sleep – after allegedly “jumping” out a window. Worried neighbours contacted the RSPCA saying tabby cat Buttons fell from a window at a block of flats in Bolton, Greater Manchester, but was not taken to a vet.

Manchester Magistrates Court heard RSPCA Inspector Jess Pierce and police visited Blane Hill, 23, and Mia Shepherdson, 21, in December 2024 and found Buttons mewing in agony. Shepherdson claimed Buttons had bitten Hill on the thumb and had run onto the bed and jumped 30ft out of the second-storey window.

Vets found the puss was non-weight bearing on his right hind leg with a dislocated and fractured pelvis and bruising around his mouth. 

Buttons moved to a foster home but last March was suffering nerve pain and vets decided the kindest option was to “put him to sleep to prevent further suffering.”

The couple both admitted one offence contrary to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 for failing to seek veterinary help and banned from keeping cats for five years.

In addition to the disqualification order, Hill was given a 12 month community order and told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. 

Shepherdson was also given a 12 month community order with ten Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days and a £120 fine. 

The RSPCA acted after receiving calls about a young “paralysed” cat who had apparently fallen from a window but not been taken to a vet.

The court heard that when the Inspector first visited the property the couple said they didn’t own any cats. 

On a subsequent visit they showed the officer a different cat and denied they had a tabby coloured one, claiming the calls to the RSPCA were malicious.

Further enquiries led the Inspector to return with the police, who had a warrant to enter the premises, and Buttons was found inside.

In her evidence to the court the Inspector said: “Shepherdson showed me into the front room where I saw a male tabby and white cat lying on a cat tree with a blanket on. 

“He didn’t appear to want to move, and when Shepherdson picked him up he was crying. When he was put into the basket he didn’t appear to want to stand and he flopped into the carrier and lay down.”

Hill and Shepherdson were told Buttons would need to be seen by a vet and he was taken into police possession while an investigation was carried out by the animal welfare charity.

The RSPCA said: “At this point Shepherdson told the RSPCA officer that Buttons had bitten Hill on the thumb and had run onto the bed and jumped out of the window.”

Buttons was examined at the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. He was non weight bearing on his right hind leg and diagnosed with a dislocated and fractured pelvis. Bruising was also evident around his mouth. 

The court was told the radiographic findings were consistent with the cat having fallen from height.

The RSPCA added: “Buttons stayed at the hospital under close observation for 23 days and had major surgery to place pins in his hip.”

The vet who examined him and gave evidence in the case said Hill and Shepherdson had failed to adequately provide for Buttons’ needs by not seeking veterinary attention for him after he had knowingly fallen from the window and was in visible pain and distress.

The vet said: “Buttons was visibly in pain on admittance. He was crying out, struggling to walk and required immediate analgesia. 

“When I was feeling his pelvis and his right hindlimb he was extremely painful and the examination needed to be paused to allow the analgesia to take effect.

“It took multiple medications to control his pain and he required surgery in the end to alleviate it.

“He was in severe pain and distress when presented which would have been present since the incident, I would expect any reasonable owner to be able to identify this. 

“Regardless of how Button’s fall from a height occurred, he should have been taken for veterinary assessment immediately.”

In mitigation the court was told the couple were both young and had no previous convictions.

Speaking after sentencing Inspector Pierce said: “This was a very distressing case, especially as we could have helped Buttons sooner if his owners had been honest with us.

“I’m so thankful to the vets and our RSPCA Manchester & Salford Branch who helped with his care which spanned over four months. 

“They tried everything but unfortunately his injuries were too severe and his pain became unmanageable. I’m grateful that Buttons spent over two months experiencing love and care in a wonderful foster home.”