A couple from Abingdon will be allowed to keep animals despite admitting mistreating their pet cat, which was riddled with tumours and fleas.

Lawrence Barrett, 50, and Vera Mitchell, 43, from Lyford Way, pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to 14-year-old cat Blackie.

Yesterday, Didcot Magistrates' Court heard the cat had to be put down after tumours were discovered in its mouth and liver.

The animal had a serious wound to its back right leg and a broken bone was exposed, prosecutor Neil Millard told the court.

Neighbours found the cat in a distressed state, emaciated, dehydrated and with fleas.

RSPCA inspector Rob Skinner visited Barrett, a delivery driver, and his partner Mitchell and found two other cats in a healthy condition.

Mr Millard said: "The cat was in pain and, instead of leaving it for six to eight weeks, the owners should have taken it to a vet for treatment.

"The cat would have had to have been been put down anyway but had to endure two months of prolonged and unnecessary pain and suffering."

Graham Bennett, defending, said Blackie belonged to Barrett and the other two cats to Mitchell. He said the wound to the leg and the cat's emaciated state were obvious but the tumours were not.

The leg wound healed but later reopened. The couple talked about taking the cat to the vet but failed to do so.

He said: "It was an omission. It as not an overt act targeted or directed at the cat.

"They accept they should have taken the animal for treatment.

"All the cats were loved and valued by the family. One cat belongs to Miss Mitchell's daughter."

Barrett was ordered to pay £200 towards the RSPCA's legal costs and £124 for the cost of the vet's examination.

They were also each ordered to do 60 hours' unpaid community service.

Presiding magistrate David Simmons said the court could have prevented the couple from having pets but that would have been unfair to Miss Mitchell's daughter.

After the hearing, RSPCA inspector Kirsty Hampton said: "I'm disappointed that the magistrates did not issue the defendants with a disqualification order."