'I go without food to feed my five cats, I'd rather use a food bank than give them up'

A single mum with five cats vowed never to give up her pets - even though the cost of living crisis means she often goes without meals to feed them.

Miari Workman, 50, blasted the Tories for failing to act and says she'll never re-home her beloved moggies.

Miari, from Cardiff, Wales, gets PIP due to her depression and ADHD and is on benefits, said she has no shame in using food banks and encouraged others to use them.

Rescue cat Bootsie arrived before the crisis, but kittens Lucy and Lace who are nearly a year old, and siblings Wolfie, two, and Lunar, one, are all related.

None of the cats are insured as Miari can't afford it but they are all neutered and microchipped.

Miari Workman has slammed the government for making her choose (Miari Workman / SWNS)

She won't re-home any of her five moggies (Miari Workman / SWNS)

Miari, who has a nine-year-old daughter at home and an adult son, said a £5 box of dried food will last the cats just one day, and described 'skint weeks' where friends help out with costs.

But she vowed to keep her furry family at all costs.

Miari said: "I sometimes go without food to be able to feed my cats. I'm not ever going to get rid of my cats, they are my family.

"If I have to use food banks to support them that's what I will do.

"I'm not ashamed, these things are there to be used. People need to stop feeling shame and just go."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should be doing more, she says (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

She has a Christian attitude which is shared by friends and neighbours, and donates to the Blue Cross when she has spare change.

Miari said: "I believe you reap what you sow - I don't give to receive, I do it because I can. I think the government need to step back and figure out why these prices are so high.

"It's just happened so quick," she added. "I have skint weeks where I don't have a penny.

"Friends took my daughter in and she had a wonderful time. They put their hand in their pocket so she could go on the rides.

"If I've got money and somebody hasn't then I will help them out.

"I try not to worry about it so my daughter doesn't get stressed. Children can sense these things. I don't have pet insurance but if a cat needs to go to the vet I will take it anyway.

"It's a pet which means part of the family. Family means everything to me."