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A tug of love battle over a stray cat has ended up in court. Stornoway residents Della Macdonald and Nicola Dempster each claim ownership of the roaming feline and want a sheriff to decide where the cat’s true home is.

Police were previously called to an altercation between the two women but refused to intervene saying the issue was a civil matter.

Mrs Macdonald, 54, named the white and black cat Oscar, after Oscar Wilde - the famous poet from her Irish homeland - after finding it wandering about. She previously said it was thin and starving but she and her husband Neilsen loved, nourished and cared for it at their Morison Avenue home in the town‘s Manor Park.

But 19-year-old Ms Dempster of Cearn Ronaidh earlier said she was devastated when Smudge, as she called him since he was a kitten, vanished earlier this year and was absolutely delighted when he turned up again.

Ms Dempster said her offer of reasonable reimbursement for pet food and expenses was rejected and Mrs Macdonald’s financial claims are excessive.

Both women had the cat for about the same amount of time - six months each - and each claim to be the proper owner.

Tug-of-love row over cat is heard in court                    24/11/11

As she arrived at Stornoway Sheriff Court Mrs Macdonald said she was relying on the justice system to achieve the cat‘s return.

In the formal proceedings, Sheriff David Sutherland said the controversy was already in the public domain as he threw out a bid by Mrs Macdonald’s legal agent - Mhairi Waugh of the Stornoway Citizen Advice Bureau - to hold the case in private.

He said any sensitive personal issues could be presented to the court confidentially but the arguments would be held in open court.

The sheriff also indicated the legal statement of claim lodged by Mrs Macdonald presented fundamental “legal difficulties” because it was badly worded.

He gave Mrs Macdonald two weeks grace to submit a “proper drafted claim.”

Ms Waugh insisted Della Macdonald “believes she can establish ownership of the cat.”

Ms Demspter was represented in court by her mother Saranne Slater who indicated she would ask for the SSPCA to be cited as a witnesses.

The case continues next month.

Neilsen and Della Macdonald arrive at the court