A man and a woman have been banned from keeping animals for five years after their kittens suffered multiple broken bones in half a year.
Oliver Vatcher, 23, and Paige Smith, 25, were prosecuted after their seven-month-old cat Simba had to be treated for head trauma, a broken tail, three broken ribs and a possible dislocated jaw.
Inspectors said the animal’s injuries were not accidental but both owners claimed not to know how it got hurt.
The RSPCA were called to investigate after another animal charity raised concerns in November 2020.
Two months later, Simba’s sibling Nala suffered three rib fractures, believed to be from different times, and a broken leg.
Inspector Thomas Hutton said: ‘The injuries sustained by both cats would have caused significant pain and suffering.
‘Both kittens received treatment for their injuries and have recovered well and have since been rehomed.’
Vatcher, of Ainslie Street, and Smith, of Daubney Street, in Grimsby, insisted to magistrates they had not caused the injuries and were not aware who did.
They claimed they do not believe either of them were hurting Simba and Nala.
But the pair pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to the kittens by failing to prevent multiple non-accidental injuries.
The court handed them a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
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