For Marion it's got to be purrfect

But when Marion Maychell called her rescue charity Cats R Us it prompted legal moves from the toys' giant Toys R Us which led to her getting e-mails of support and media coverage from around the world.

And the experience of the rescue home and her reliance on the Internet for information, help and fun has led to Marion's current venture - a pet sitting business with its own web site www.purrfectpetsitters.co.uk.

"We eventually got so many cats that I couln't find homes for them all. We would have had to keep turning people away and refusing homes. I also got disillusioned with people using them as commodities.

"But I needed an income to look after the remaining cats so I thought about what would fit into my lifestyle and what I know about - pet care."

That was at the beginning of this year and since then Marion has stopped taking in cats - keeping just 22 of them at her home - and focused on building up the petsitting business.

"I don't house sit for the pets. It is a pet care visit - usually twice a day. I do all the things the owner would usually do like walk the dog and let the cat out but I also open and close the curtains, turn the lights on and bring the post in. A lot of owners think it is ideal and extra security for them."

Marion, 45, hit on the idea and got a lot of information about pet sitting by scouring the Internet and learning from other people running the same sorts of buisnesses.

"I have been on the Internet now for the past five years. It is something I always use now. If it hadn't been for the Internet I wouldn't have known what to do with the legal action.

"As soon as I got the legal letter I posted it to newsgroups - that's the way things are nowadays.

"Now, although most of the petsitters are in America, they still get the same problems and its good to be able to see how their businesses are developing and be able to share experiences."

Following the unwelcome publicity, Toys R Us apologised and sent a cheque for £500 to the charity as a goodwill gesture.

In her new venture Marion is finding that even local people are using the website to get in touch - often sending an e-mail as the first inquiry before she arranges to meet them with their pets to discuss the household regime.

She said: "I think a lot of people use the Internet because they like the annonimity - they can find out all they things they want to know and what is on offer without commitment.

"I see another side of human nature now. It is lovely to see the other side of pet ownership. Now I see the people that really understand what is best for their pets and are responsible about them."