They trust us - a little

Glad to see that even for our bossy, interfering and over-prescriptive Government, there are limits:

A government guide that tells pet owners to provide private lavatories for their cats — and "mental stimulation" to prevent them getting bored —is to be withdrawn. ... The 17-page document lays down rules that cat owners should abide by to ensure the health, safety and happiness of their pets."

Here are some of the words of advice for the clueless cat owners:

"Your cat should have somewhere private to go to the toilet with sufficient clean litter ... You should ensure your cat gets enough mental stimulation from you and from its environment so that it does not become bored and frustrated."

Never mind that the 'guidance' was only withdrawn after protests from MPs. In withdrawing the document, they appear to have realised that cat owners, by and large, are not witless incompetents who would be unable to carry out commonplace tasks without the Government coming along to hold their hands. Nevertheless I am surprised the document was withdrawn. We have become so used to Government interference that it no longer surprises us when another window is opened into our already over-scrutinised and over-regulated lives. We are instead shocked when they realise they have gone too far.