4 JULY 1998, Page 34

A cat writes

MY feline correspondent, Bustopher Jones, adds: After half a century, how much longer must we cats wait for a National Veterinary Service? We are still at the mercy of market forces. Vets charge what the traffic will bear, and many of their bills are paid out of private insurance. If Patsy Bloom, who founded PetPlan, were a cat, her wealth would expose her to girthist abuse. Where the market cannot reach, charities can and do. Really, we might be living in Victorian days. There are not even any shortages. If I were still on the waiting list for my operation, I would not have had to become non-executive.