Dr Katherine Theodotou is suing the RSPCA and Metropolitan Police after officers chopped down her front door with an axe to seize her disabled cat, Rita. Dr Theodotou denies mistreating Rita and insists she has been the victim of 'malicious reporting'. She is seeking compensation and for Rita to be returned.
A former top human rights lawyer, Dr Katherine Theodotou, is suing the RSPCA and Metropolitan Police after officers chopped down her front door with an axe to seize her disabled cat.
Dr Theodotou, 79, alleged she was 'pushed violently to the ground' in the raid prompted by reports her pet, named Rita, was being mistreated. The Cypriot-born ex-solicitor denies mistreating 17-month-old Rita and insists she has been the victim of 'malicious reporting'. Contrary to the animal charity's claims, she said she has never neglected Rita, who is 'pampered' at home. She even pays for two private nurses and a physiotherapist to care for her, Dr Theodotou said.
Dr Theodotou is now suing the RSPCA and Sir Mark Rowley, the Met Commissioner, at London's High Court, demanding compensation and for Rita to be returned. At a hearing this week, Dr Theodotou applied for an emergency injunction banning the RSPCA from putting down her pet cat, who she fears may be euthanised before the case can be heard in full.
Dr Theodotou's lawyer, Liam Wells, told judge Mrs Justice Margaret Obi that Dr Theodotou seeks a mandatory injunction for the return of Rita to her possession. He also seeks damages for harassment and or negligence against the RSPCA and damages for assault, battery, trespass and negligence against the Metropolitan Police. The lawyer said Dr Theodotou was 'a keen animal lover' who has 'promoted animal welfare' for 30 years.
She is the 'rightful owner of Rita', whom she has owned since birth, the lawyer said. Rita was sadly born disabled and cannot properly move her back legs and by reason of this she suffers from occasional infections in her bladder, Mr Wells added. Dr Theodotou knows Rita to be an intelligent cat and knows that Rita has been steadily learning to walk on all four legs.
She says that prior to April 2025 Rita was being well cared for by her at her home and Rita received regular medical support from specialist veterinary surgeons paid for by her. Mr Wells said that, for a period of a few months from April 2025, however, Rita spent time being cared for at the vet's surgery before being returned to Dr Theodotou.
Dr Theodotou is suing the animal charity and the Metropolitan Police for damages over claims they harassed her and were negligent when they chopped down the front door of her home, in Islington, north London, with an axe to seize Rita. The 17-month-old moggy, described as 'loving and cheeky,' was born disabled and is learning to walk. Two subsequent visits from RSPCA inspectors found no issues with her care.
But following reports of concern for Rita's welfare, the RSPCA obtained a warrant for two of their inspectors to raid Dr Theodotou's home, in Islington, north London, on March 27. Accompanied by uniformed officers, they broke down the door and seized Rita. Mr Wells said that, at the time Dr Theodotou was recovering from surgery for breast cancer.
Dr Theodotou did not understand the reasons for the attendance of so many uniformed police officers at the property and did not wish to allow them access, he added. The officers of the Metropolitan Police proceeded to break down the front door to the property using an axe.
Dr Theodotou was seeking to open the door to avoid the police officers from breaking it down when the police officers pushed her violently to the ground, making forceful contact with her wounded chest. The officers of the RSPCA found Rita and removed her from the property against the will of Dr Theodotou. Rita has not been returned to the claimant to date. The lawyer added that Rita is amongst the most well cared for cats you could find.
My client is spending large sums of money on keeping her safe and well and teaching her to walk again. The damage to my client would be irreparable (if Rita was put down). She will have lost something which can't be valued in money.
Mark Townsend, for the RSPCA, told the judge that, after being seized, Rita was examined by a vet and found to be in an 'extremely concerning' condition, which suggested she had been left for 'prolonged' periods with 'inadequate hygiene, nursing care, and monitoring within the home environment'. He said since then the cat had flourished and developed a 'wonderfully loving, cheeky temperament'.
Mr Townsend said Rita was currently living with foster carers and insisted there was no plan to put her to sleep
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