Cat who helps trafficked women among awards finalists

A cat who helps women who have been trafficked is a finalist in this year's National Cat Awards.

The event, organised by charity Cats Protection, highlights the "incredible bond" between cats and people.

Black and white Marley lives at Caritas Bakhita House, a safehouse in London for women who have been enslaved, exploited and trafficked.

Karen Anstiss, 59, the head of the house, said Marley was the "fluffy heart of our home".

There are four categories for the awards this year - Connected Cats, Family Cats, Senior Cats and Incredible Cats.

Marley is a finalist in the Incredible Cats category.

Ms Anstiss said seven-year-old Marley had helped bring comfort and hope to the 11 women who currently live at the safehouse.

"Often Marley placing a gentle paw on our guests' legs is the first kindness they've experienced in years," she said.

"He has this incredible gift of empathy, knowing instinctively who needs him.

"We adopted Marley four years ago and I think he'd suffered abuse as he is terrified of men aged around 30. So he recognises our guests' trauma."

Cilla, 12, who is in the Connected Cats category, has been helping anxious pupils at Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone, Warwickshire, during exam season.

She first appeared at the school roughly six years ago looking hungry and thin and has made herself at home. She even has six beds, including two in the library - her favourite place.

Sally Taylor, 54, headteacher at Outwoods Primary School, said: "Cilla is very intuitive and always knows where she needs to be, with an anxious pupil or waiting in the hall for our Year 6s to arrive during SATs week."

She added: "Stroking her calmed them down before their tests.

"Every morning when I arrive at school she is waiting to greet me, which gets my day off to a lovely start.

"Then she hangs out with the pupils - in classes, during breaks and even on the football pitch during matches."

Marmaduke, from Manchester, is also in the Incredible Cats category.

Owner Janice Cheetham, 64, said he pulled her out of "deep depression" after she worked as an emergency medical technician during the Manchester Arena attack.

Twenty two people were killed in a suicide bombing after an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.

"My advice to anyone struggling with their mental health is 'get a big orange cat'," Ms Cheetham, from Norden, near Rochdale, Greater Manchester, said.

"I honestly don't know whether I'd be here today without Marmaduke."

Voting for the National Cat Awards opens at 09:00 BST on 17 July and closes on 30 August.

Category winners and the National Cat of the Year will be announced during a ceremony at London's One Marylebone on 18 September.

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