Cat “thieves” have been warned against feeding their neighbours’ pets after a pensioner was handed an official warning by police for taking in what she thought was a stray.

Before feeding the mewling cat at their back door, animal lovers need to check with their neighbours to ensure they are not inadvertently stealing someone’s pet, Cats Protection has said.

The charity has begun a new campaign to inform cat lovers about whether the animal they are feeding is a stray or not, and to prevent accidental “cat thefts.

This comes after a pensioner was visited by three police officers and slapped with an official warning letter - for feeding a cat she thought was a stray. Shirley Key, 79, noticed a skinny black cat in her greenhouse last Spring and fed it for more than a year, as well as buying it toys and paying a £200 vet’s bill.

However, after a neighbour complained, she received two separate visits from police officers in marked cars and a written warning accusing her of "cat theft". She explained: "The cat was skin and bones and very weak, he obviously hadn't eaten for a while. Eventually I took it to Pets at Home, who asked me to look after it.