Dr Katherine Theodotou

A 79-YEAR-OLD Archway-based lawyer has branded the Metropolitan Police and RSPCA “brutal barbarians”, as she engages them in a legal battle over the frozen body of her dead, disabled cat.

Dr Katherine Theodotou, who runs a legal practice and Greek school from Dresden Road, has filed claims of more than £60,000 against both the Met and Royal Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) after a joint raid by both organisations to confiscate her 17-month-old disabled Tuxedo cat, Rita.

She made national headlines after she alleged that six police officers and three RSPCA workers dressed in “military uniform” had smashed her door through in March and violently assaulted her during the raid to seize Rita.

Dr Theodotou claims that a “malicious” report to the RSPCA inspired the raid, with officers attending the property due to ongoing concerns over the animals’ welfare. Following the raid, Rita died whilst in the care of an RSPCA foster family.

Her body has since been kept frozen and is pending an autopsy, conducted both by an RSPCA vet and an independent specialist selected by Dr Theodotou.

Rita was born disabled and unable to walk, and is one of many cats that Dr Theodotou owns. She runs an animal sanctuary in Hertford called Woodcock Country Farm, where she looks after a “family” of dogs and cats.

She told the Tribune: “When the police and RSPCA came into my house, I couldn’t believe how barbaric they were. Smashing my stuff on the floor, and I got hit in the breast where I had an operation for cancer just weeks before. It was awful and completely disproportionate.”

In a letter seen by the Tribune, the RSPCA wrote to Dr Theodotou on February 17 confirming that a case over Rita’s welfare had been closed, stating that the “care provided was appropriate”. It was a “shock”, therefore, when they attended with a warrant to seize the cat.

Dr Theodotou said that she spent tens of thousands of pounds and employed a team of staff, including nurses and physiotherapists, to ensure that Rita had “the best life imaginable” and improve her condition, eventually helping her to walk for the first time.

She added: “Rita was like my little granddaughter, you know? I loved her. I haven’t recovered from her death yet.

“Because I would stay up with her until four o’clock in the morning. Listening to animal music and trying walkies with her. I made it a promise of my life that I would make her walk, despite her disability.

“But she was kidnapped, by force. You wouldn’t even see these things happen in Nazi Germany.”

Rita

She said from her first memories growing up in Northern Cyprus, she has always been an “animal lover” and would “never harm or mistreat animals”.

Dr Theodotou said she is now fully focussed on regaining possession of the corpse, so that she can treat her to a “proper burial in her garden, which she loved.”

The series of incidents have taken a serious mental toll on her, she added.

“I’ve got a very strong mind but even me, I can’t sleep well. I’m seeing a psychologist. Rita would have been alive and walking and living properly. And now she isn’t.”

If she were to be successful in her legal claims, which she expects to take up to six months, Dr Theodotou said she would invest the money into establishing a new animal rights organisation rivalling the RSPCA, called the “Anglo-European Association for the Protection of Animals” (AEAPA).

Dr Theodotou was a practising lawyer in England before being struck from the register in 2022 over “dishonest” statements made in an insurance claim – a case which she disputed. Throughout her career she practised in Cyprus, Greece and England across human rights law, civil litigation and other disciplines.

The Metropolitan Police said that as this was an ongoing legal case, they were not placed to comment. It did, however, inform the Tribune that it will be defending the claims made against them.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: “Rita was a disabled cat with serious bladder and incontinence issues.

“When she was rescued by our officers she was not able to use her back legs, dragging them behind her, while her fur was soaked and stained with urine, and she had visibly sore skin.

“A vet examination found pus and blood in her urine and severely red, sore skin ‘consistent with urine scalding’.

“She was also showing clear evidence of significant behavioural and physical deterioration; and was clearly in urgent need of veterinary care.

“We have always had Rita’s welfare at heart and made a number of attempts to check on her, after concerns were raised by veterinary professionals. Our enquiries indicated she may not be receiving the intensive levels of care she needed – though her owner would not grant access for us to check her.

“In most cases we work with owners to improve pet welfare, and involving the police to gain access is always a last resort.

“While under our care, in an independent animal hospital, Rita was given pain relief, physiotherapy and other medication so as to make her comfortable.

“We are all very sad that Rita passed away recently at the vets and our thoughts go to her owner who clearly loved her deeply, as well as all those involved in her care during her life.

“A post-mortem is set to be carried out by an independent vet to establish the cause of Rita’s death.”