A care home worker who left behind his cat in an empty flat when he was evicted has been banned from keeping animals for 32 months.
Wayne Stewart, 38, abandoned the distressed pet, which already had a leg injury, after being kicked out of the property in Abel Place, Dunfermline, on May 28 by his landlords.
The grey, female domestic shorthair was not found for nearly a fortnight, when workers from Stewart’s lettings agency checked the premises on June 10.
Prosecutor Lorraine Almond told Dunfermline Sheriff Court the workers were “immediately concerned for its welfare”.
She said: “There was no food or water, except for discoloured water in the toilet.”
Animal welfare charity the Scottish SPCA was called in and staff coaxed the animal into a cat basket and took it to a nearby veterinary hospital.
Ms Almond said: “It was emaciated and very hungry and had an untreated, chronic wound on its leg.
“The letting agents were contacted and told the SSPCA that the accused had been evicted a fortnight prior.”
Stewart was traced to another address and agreed to sign the pet over to be rehomed. Its leg had to be amputated.
He was charged with animal neglect and told officers that his behaviour was “out of character for me”. He claimed: “I loved that wee cat. She was my only constant. I wish I could go back and change the situation.”
Stewart, now of Skye Road in Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to two charges of animal neglect, causing pain and suffering.
Sheriff Charles Macnair, who studied photographs of Stewart’s cat before sentencing, told the accused: “Having a cat or any pet is a responsibility which people must meet, and to abandon a pet in this way is not acceptable.”
He sentenced Stewart to perform 65 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order, in addition to the 32-month ban.