Nitin B| The News Minute | March 13, 2015 | 6:10 pm ISTThere are many who do their bit for stray animals. But how far will one go to protect their right?The Ghosh family from Hyderabad have left no stone unturned to ensure that two stray cats whom they look after, are not harmed by their neighbours, who too, have allegedly gone to great lengths to get rid of the furry creatures.Ginger and Furry, both four-year-old, found a place to call home after they were fed some food in September last year. The brown felines were starving and the act of kindness ensured that they befriended the family that fed them.For a few months now, the Ghosh family living in the West Marredpally area of Secunderabad have been fighting to save Ginger and Furry. From registering repeated complaints with the local police, to moving the city civil court and slapping a legal notice on their neighbours, the family of three has done it all.Kamal Ghosh lives with wife Sangita and a daughter and occupies a flat on the fifth floor of an apartment. "It was September last year. They kept making noises and I called up Blue Cross and asked them what to do and they told me the cats must be hungry. We started feeding them and soon it became a routine with them coming thrice a day to eat and go away," Sangita tells The News Minute.(Furry)"But of late, I have been discouraging them after all that's happened," she adds.The residents of the building have allegedly been trying to get rid of the cats on claims that they make the premises dirty, damage property and drink up their milk. Sangita also says that the neighbours indirectly resorted to breaking the cats' legs and even stabbing Furry in the abdomen to scare them away. "I rushed him to an animal care clinic nearby where he got some stitches," Sangita adds.Distressed by the torture, the family first approached the police in November last year, in a bid to put an end to the issue. Multiple visits were made and complaints were filed but to no avail.In February, the family moved the city civil court, highlighting the names of Mahender Jain (president of the flat owners association) and Ghanshyam Premani, (secretary) in their petition.The family was extremely shocked by their brutality aimed at the animal. "They took a long while to recover from the trauma. I do not know why the neighbours are against the cats when their children encounter all kinds of stray animals themselves at school and while playing on the streets," says Sangita.(Ginger)"We would not have moved to the court but when they broke the cat's leg, that was the tipping point," she adds.The family also sent a legal notice to some residents on March 7 demanding that they stop all illegal activities against the cats."We found out that some people from the building had written to the veterinary section of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to evict the cats." Sangita says. "Even in their letter, the reasons are completely pointless. They claim that the cats are scratching their vehicle seats and stealing their milk. I take care of Ginger and Furry like they're my sons and if they do any mischief, I am ready to apologize and compensate," Sangita says. On Wednesday, five men came with thick ropes to catch the cat. The court has issued a few regulations, according to which they cannot such fat ropes as it could injure the animal," she adds.The GHMC team returned after the Ghosh family put up a fight."On Thursday, we met Hyderabad police commissioner M Mahendar Reddy, and we will fight till the cats' lives are out of danger," said Sangita.The case is yet to come up for hearing as the lawyers are on strike till the end of the month. (Images: Courtesy of Sangita Ghosh)TweetFollow @thenewsminute