Court fight looms over Sainsbury's cat ban
An autistic man is taking supermarket giant Sainsbury's to court for refusing entry to his assistance cat.
Designer and writer Ian Fenn from London says the ban on Chloe, who helps him in daily life, is limiting his independence.
He says she helps him stay calm, but the supermarket argues that cats, unlike assistance dogs, present risks to food hygiene.
The case might set a legal precedent if it has to be ruled on by top judges.
Sainsbury's says it is working with an environmental health team to find out how Ian and his cat can visit safely.
Ian was recently diagnosed with autism after many years of struggling with anxiety in busy or noisy environments.
He has trained Chloe to help him manage his way through daily life after discovering on a train journey that her presence improved what would otherwise have been a stressful situation.
When we meet Ian and Chloe in a south London pub, she's sitting on a small, dedicated mat beside him on the sofa, gazing intently at the drinkers.
She wears a "service cat" jacket and occasionally nibbles treats. Over the course of an hour, she occasionally looks around, but does not leave the mat once.
Outside the pub, she sits on Ian's shoulder or walks around on a lead.
