Bemused: Ian Wilkinson hopes post will resume after he put a cage around his letterbox
Terrified postmen are refusing to deliver mail to a house after being repeatedly attacked - by a tiny CAT.
Three-year-old Snowball stands just 10 inches tall and is described as 'harmless and playful' by her owner Ian Wilkinson.
But Mr Wilkinson, 46, was shocked when he received a letter from Royal Mail informing him his beloved pet was a 'health and safety risk' after a postman's finger was scratched while putting mail through the letterbox.
Royal Mail claimed Snowball posed an 'unacceptably high level of risk' and was a 'potential hazard'.
It said three postmen have been attacked with one suffering 'quite deep' cuts to a finger after delivering to Mr Wilkinson’s home in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Following a complaint by one of its staff, Royal Mail did a health and safety assessment and decided it was too risky to deliver post to his home.
'Harmless': Ian Wilkinson was shocked when he received a letter from Royal Mail saying Snowball was a health and safety risk
Officials said deliveries would be suspended until Mr Wilkinson finds a way to stop Snowball mauling its postmen or an 'alternative safe delivery point' is put in place.
Mr Wilkinson, a computer analyst, said: 'It’s utterly ridiculous.
'Everyone at work thinks it is hilarious - they have started calling her Ninja Cat and even Photoshopped her holding a Kalashnikov.
'Ninja Cat': 'Royal Mail claims Snowball poses an 'unacceptably high level of risk'
'I have never seen her attack a person. Sometimes she sniffs people’s feet when they come over for dinner - that’s as vicious as she gets.'
The divorced father-of-one added: 'She happily plays with next door’s animals and she wouldn’t hurt a fly.
'It’s not like she is a huge great Alsatian or a Doberman - she’s just a sweet little cat who is just inquisitive and playful.
'She is absolutely harmless. It’s all a bit bizarre.'
Royal Mail claimed Snowball managed to manoeuvre her way past the letterbox’s two spring-loaded covers and double brush guard to attack its postmen.
source: dailymail