IN response to your article 'Charity cat ban slapped on cruel street' (April 14), the welfare and safety of the cats and kittens in our care is our main priority.

Rescued cats have often been saved from desperate situations. To place such cats in an area which experience has taught us is not safe for a variety of reasons would not be in their best interests.

For many cats that come into our care it is their last chance of finding a loving home, so it would be unthinkable for York Cats Protection not to do its best for these unfortunate animals.

I understand how upset and hurt both women must have been, but the decision not to 'home' a cat to Sarah Bell's mother, Mrs Sharon McConnell, in no way reflected on their integrity or good character, but was made solely with the welfare of the cat in mind.

York Cats Protection is part of the national Cats Protection charity which was founded in 1927 and is the oldest and largest charity in the UK solely concerned with the welfare of cats and kittens.

As part of the national Cats Protection charity we have stringent homing guidelines to follow.

Last year we successfully found homes for more than 500 cats with caring people. All of these cats had been abandoned or dumped for one reason or another or handed into our care.

York Cats Protection will still reserve the right to refuse to home cats or kittens in our care to areas which have proved to be unsafe, irrespective of how good the potential home may be.

Pauleen Henson,

Co-ordinator,

York Branch Cats Protection,

Stockhill Cottage,

Church Balk,

Dunnington,

York.

Updated: 11:04 Tuesday, April 24, 2001