Girl who lost her mum to keep family cat

Kaitlin with the cat she shared with her mum. Photo taken from Change.org.

A ten-year-old who lost her mother in a house fire has been told she can keep her mum's cat after receiving a request to rehome it.

Hyde Group housing association have agreed that resident Karine and her niece Kaitlin can keep the pet following a meeting yesterday afternoon.

Jack the cat is one of the only reminders Kaitlin has of her mother, who died three years ago.

The Hyde Group recieved a petition of more than 3,600 signatures to allow Jack to stay after sending Karine a letter to say the pet had to be rehomed.

The letter listed a complaint that the cat was urinating in the hallway, but Karine said Jack rarely uses the hallway to enter the home. Housing officers met Karine and her neighbours to discuss the situation and meet the cat, which has lived at the address for three years.

After filling in forms to officially register the pet, Katrine confirmed that Jack will be able to stay with the family.

Apart from photos and newspaper cuttings, the pet is one of the only things Kaitlin has to remember her mother by. Karine explained that Kaitlin is very attached to the cat, which she chose and named with her mum.

“For her, it’s that link,” said Karine.