Crossword Genius

European abandoning a preference to get cat only with difficulty (2,1,7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

at a stretch

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'with difficulty' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

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(Other definitions for at a stretch that I've seen before include "Running, possibly" , "With much effort" , "With difficulty; without interruption" , "in one continuous period" .)

I've seen this clue in The Independent.
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