Keeping a cat does not cost owners much money until they fall ill or are injured in road accidents.

Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service has had to spend more than £1,600 on emergency operations to save the lives of four cats.

These cats had been run over and would otherwise have been put down because the owners could not afford to pay.

Vets are sometimes accused of overcharging but, in these cases, undertook the work at discount rate because of the circumstances.

The lesson for owners is that it pays to insure your pets.

As for the animal rescue service, it now badly needs donations by pet lovers so that it can carry on with its good work.