But one small charity, the Coventy Cats Group, which relies on street collections, told BBC News that it was concerned that the new rules and spot checks may make fundraising more complex.

BBC: Charity fundraisers subject to new rules

Rademacher, who lives with her four dogs and three cats, was already making small changes to start her goals as soon as the new year began.

CNN: Teacher wants to exercise more, go back to school

In her last years Highsmith retreated to a small mountain village near Locarno, Switzerland, where she holed up with her cats.

FORBES: A dark view

Since extremists first targeted small animal-breeders, in 1997, they have closed down four outfits, breeding dogs, cats, monkeys and rabbits.

ECONOMIST: Animal rights extremists

Domestic cats kill between 1.4 billion and 3.7 billion birds and up to 20 billion small rodents each year, according to researchers at the Migratory Bird Center of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS