March 2004 (Newstream) -- Six special felines are going to be purring with pleasure when their incredible tales of courage, survival and transformation win them one of six category awards at the ceremony, staged by leading UK cat charity Cats Protection. And one of the six will be fe-line extra special when they scoop Cats Protection's Rescue Cat of the Year Award title for 2004.
Celebrity guests including TV vets Steve Leonard and Dr. Scott Miller; Father Ted actress Pauline McLynn and Sir Patrick Moore will be applauding the winners as they are announced at the lunchtime bash. Designer of Princess Diana's wedding dress - Elizabeth Emanuel - will also be there as her cat Google is nominated for a prize.
Cats Protection's Rescue Cat of the Year Award honours those felines whose stories of courage, survival, fate and transformation have inspired the humans who love and care for them. The competition, which is in its second year, is open to cats rescued as strays by their current owner or adopted from any animal welfare organisation.
Out of more than 700 entries, only six will go home with trophies. As well as the overall Rescue Cat of the Year, celebrity guests will announce winners in each of the following categories:
- Best Friends- Where a best furry friend has radically improved the quality of a human life. Winning cat chosen by actor, Anthony Head and his partner, leading UK Tellington Touch practitioner, Sarah Fisher.
- Best Personality- A special award for cats with character. Winning cat chosen by eminent astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore CBE FRS.
- Best Turn-Around- Where circumstances have turned around puss's behaviour, health or life in general. Winning cat chosen by Coronation Street actor, William Roache MBE.
- Long-Distance Traveller- Cats don't like to travel. Or do they? Winning cat chosen by cat-loving journalist Chrissy Iley.
- Most Incredible Story- Belief defying, true stories. If only puss could talk! Winning cat chosen by author, Jilly Cooper.
- Ultimate Survivor- Tails of feline survival after those nine lives have been spent. Winning cat chosen by TV vet, Dr Scott Miller.
Event organiser Jen Snape, from Cats Protection, says the Rescue Cat of the Year Award has struck a chord with cat lovers everywhere. She said: "It was a hard job to pick just six winners from among the 700 incredible entries we've received. The winning stories definitely capture the spirit of rescue cats - the will to survive, the bravery and the transformations that take place, not to mention their feistiness and friendliness. If this year's event is anything like last year's ceremony, I don't think there will be a dry eye in the house."
Some of the best stories include:
Ultimate Survivor
Name of cat: Felix
Name of owner: Susan Elkington
Felix arrived by default when he was left by his owners who simply moved house but did not take him.
A black tabby ball of fluff, found himself locked in the neighbours shed for two days, stole their cooked chicken from a cooling tray in their kitchen, and pulled all the stuffing from their mattress yet they still adored him.
Having climbed a roofers ladder two doors away he fell from the roof as we erected ladders to get him down.
Following this he almost bled to death having jumped on broken glass left on a windowsill by another neighbour following a garden party, but his bravest recovery was after being shot by poachers with buckshot.
Having 36 pellets in his body he got home over an acre of field, into the house where he waited for me to come home.
His back knee rebuilt he made no fuss when the metal implant worked out of his leg and had to be removed.
He lives now with 35 pellets still in his body is brave beyond belief bursting with love and fun having been my rock through illness and life's knocks for 13 years.
He's a remarkable fella.
