A bitter legal war is brewing between a divorced couple over their beloved Chinchilla Persian cat, called Buffy, who they both consider to be their ‘child’.

Durban attorney Mark Leathers on Friday brought an urgent application in the KZN High Court seeking to stop his ex-wife, Lisa Vissers-Leathers, from putting Buffy in a cattery while she goes on holiday.

However, the application, which he said he initiated ‘in the best interest of Buffy’, was struck from the roll for lack of urgency.

But Leathers says in his affidavit he intends taking further legal action ‘for the return of my child to me’, notes a TimesLIVE report.

The couple separated in early 2020 and divorced in July that year. They had no children and Buffy remained with Vissers-Leathers after they split up because, Leathers said, he believed it to be in the cat’s best interests.

In his affidavit, Leathers said his relationship with Buffy was the ‘closest I will ever have to a human child’.

He said Lisa had told him recently that she was going away on holiday and intended putting Buffy in a cattery ‘to see how she does’.

‘For an elderly cat, who has never been in a strange environment, nor with strange people who do not know her routines or quirks, placing her into a cattery for even one hour will cause her stress and anxiety, unnecessary when I am available and willing to look after her.’

He said he had attempted to resolve the issue amicably, suggesting that Buffy either stay with him, or he move back into the marital home to care for her there.

Vissers-Leathers opposed the application. In her affidavit, she said Buffy was her cat and when they split up, there was no doubt that she would remain with her.

‘Any attachment to him is superficial. Cats are resilient. When our divorce settlement agreement was prepared, not once did he, an experienced attorney, make provision for any visitation rights.’

Full TimesLIVE report