The UK government seriously discussed killing every cat in the country during the early days of the COVID pandemic, when the animals were erroneously suspected of being links in the transmission of the virus.

The long-rumoured policy option was finally confirmed this week by former health minister Lord James Bethel told Channel 4.

“Can you imagine what would have happened if we had wanted to do that!” he said, adding that the proposal was investigated and ‘dismissed absolutely’.

Confirmation of a possible death sentence for Britain’s estimated 10.9 million cats sheds further light on the chaotic early days of the pandemic, when health authorities were scrambling frantically to identify threats and solutions.

The news comes as former UK prime minister Boris Johnson prepares to give evidence later this month to an inquiry into whether he intentionally misled parliament about illegal parties at his Downing Street office and residence during the lockdowns.

Boris faces a grilling

In an update of its work which will be used as a basis for its questioning of the former leader, a panel of MPs known formally as the Privileges Committee said it had collected evidence from multiple witnesses about the parties, but that Johnson had yet to provide a written submission.

Despite the report being an update rather than a final conclusion, Johnson was quick to say it cleared him of the charge of committing “contempt of parliament,” repeating his argument that he was not aware that any gatherings were in breach of his own coronavirus rules.

“Mr Johnson has accepted the Committee’s invitation to give oral evidence in public in the week beginning 20 March,” the Committee of Privileges said in a statement.

So-called partygate ultimately led to the downfall of Johnson, after months of reports that he alongside other senior government figures had been present at parties when most of the rest of the United Kingdom were forced to stay at home.

-with AAP