Dead cat on Dagenham doorstep finally removed after week-long wait

Erta Murati's sister, Jona, with the dead cat in a bag Archant

A mum-of-two who spent a week begging the council to collect a decomposing cat from outside her house said it was like living with a dead body on her doorstep.

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Erta Murati, of Weylond Road, Dagenham, found the perished puss in her backyard the Friday before last (March 13).

She immediately contacted the council and was told to put the mog in a binbag outside her home and they would come and collect it.

But it was only on Friday – seven days after she first rang the council – that it was finally removed.

“It was like having a dead body in front of your house and just always knowing it was there,” Erta said.

“It smelled awful and it was probably crawling with maggots.”

The 29-year-old, who has two sons, aged 10 and eight, was worried for their health and feared the cat’s corpse would attract mice.

Her pregnant next door neighbour also complained about the increasingly foul stench.

“Every night my sons were asking about it before they went to sleep,” Erta added.

“I didn’t know what to do. I kept ringing the council to come and get it but they wouldn’t take it away.

“Also, I felt bad for the owners. If I had a pet I’d want to know what had happened to it.”

Erta, a support worker at Newham College, said she was relieved the animal has now gone as she “finally feels free”.

A spokeswoman from Barking and Dagenham Council apologised for any concern caused by the delayed collection.