NHS staff have come under fire after secretly keeping a stray cat in a hospital.

Food, scratch pads and a basket were brought for the stray cat Monty, who managers found sleeping in a linen cupboard during a routine check.

Infection control experts described the staff's behaviour at Epsom Hospital in Surrey as 'beyond belief', and ordered a deep clean of the ward.

An internal investigation was launched after the Burmese cat was found asleep in a linen cupboard.

A porter who had worked at the hospital for 28 years was sacked after he was caught on CCTV stroking the cat on a hospital bed.

The hospital communications team tweeted a picture earlier this month featuring Dixie their 'Comms Cat' - weeks before the hospital was slammed for having a stray feline on the property

Infection control experts described the staff's behaviour at Epsom Hospital in Surrey as 'beyond belief'

A union rep's letter to staff seen by The Sun said: 'The Trust Board have gone nuts that a cat should be in the hospital. They are looking for the culprit.

'If you are seen in an NHS hospital sitting stroking a cat when you should be at work, it's a hard argument to win.'

Prof Hugh Pennington, an infection control expert said: 'It is beyond belief hospital staff would dream of homing a cat.

HOW CAN CATS AFFECT A PERSON'S HEALTH? Cats have been linked to everything from allergies, bites and even deadly diseases. Bites from our feline friends make up around 15 per cent of animal bites treated in hospitals and are not usually deep, however, they can cause serious infections. The bacteria Pasteurella multocida is in the mouths of around 90 per cent of healthy cats. In most cases, infection causes just redness, swelling, pain and difficulty moving the affected area. Yet, in severe incidences, people can suffer nerve damage and a build up of pus within tissues, known as an abscess. Cats are also carriers of the bacteria Bartonella henselae, which can cause scratch fever. Symptoms include headache, reduced appetite and exhaustion. Dr Howard Gittelman, director of Animal Medical of New City, told Healthline: 'Cats contract Bartonella henselae predominantly from the bites of fleas. It causes streaking of the arms and swollen lymph nodes. 'If someone who is immunosuppressed or on chemotherapy gets bitten by a cat that is a carrier of Bartonella, they should be concerned and seek treatment.' Cats are also the natural hosts for the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. Felines carry millions of the parasite's eggs in their faeces. Although toxoplasmosis is usually harmless, if a pregnant woman catches the infection for the first time, she may suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth. Toxoplasmosis has also been associated with damage to unborn babies' organs, particularly their eyes. Advertisement

'Hospitals are supposed to be spotlessly clean to limit the spread of infection. The cat could be shedding hair, carrying fleas or leaving poo around.'

In one picture, Monty is seen in a stand-off with a rat on a desk in an office.

Monty's real owner, who lives nearby, was traced when it was found the cat had a microchip.

Police had to investigate claims the cat was kept was kept hostage as it failed to return to its owner.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust also has a 'comms cat' called Dixie, who is regularly posted about on its social media pages.

There is no suggestion the communications department cat is free to roam around the hospital.

Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust also has a 'comms cat' called Dixie, who is regularly posted about on its social media pages

An Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman told MailOnline: 'As a busy hospital trust, our first priority has to be the health and wellbeing of our patients, and that includes protecting people from the risk of infection.

'As such, when it came to light that an animal had entered one of our hospital sites, we immediately launched an investigation.

'In order to determine the facts of the matter, we needed to install additional CCTV cameras in a storage area of the hospital.

'As a result of the investigation, a member of contracted staff has since been dismissed for neglecting their duties whilst at work (including lying down for long periods when they should have been working), and we found evidence that the cat had been on site in this non-patient, storage area.

'This non-patient area where the cat was found has been decontaminated fully.

'We would like to assure all of our patients, visitors and local people that we have taken this matter very seriously.'