Number of cats accidentally taken away by delivery drivers is soaring as Covid leads to surge in online shopping – Helen Martin

The increase of people having groceries and everything else delivered during Covid-19 has caused another disaster for curious cats.

Cats' curiosity is seeing them carried off to some far-flung places by delivery drivers unaware they've picked up a passenger (Picture: Yasin Akgul/AFP via Getty Images)

Delivery men leave their ramp or door open and a cat goes in to explore. They come back to the van, close the door and drive off.

Lothian Cat Rescue Senior Warden Nicola Zellent has taken in cats who have arrived in Edinburgh from a Stirling delivery van, a cat brought to Edinburgh from England in a removal van, and many more including those transported around the city by supermarket deliveries.

She said: “Numbers have soared with Covid. We can find their owner from their micro-chip if they are brought to us or we’ve collected them. Some cats just escape at the next stop and are lost. The Dog and Cat Home, SSPCA and Cat Protection are going through the same.”

It would be good if drivers didn’t leave their van open when they delivered goods. And for removal vans, Nicola suggests it would be ideal if someone could “guard” the ramp, or they could bang the van before they left to scare any cats to run out before they drive off.

She added: “I can’t blame delivery men. Cats’ curiosity is the problem. But please tell a cat charity if they have one, please close their van door if they can. And every cat owner, even with indoor cats who can squeeze out of a window, should have them micro-chipped. Otherwise, they can become a stray hundreds of miles away.”

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