CAT WHO HELPS TRAFFICKED WOMEN AMONG AWARDS FINALISTS
Source: BBC (Extract)
Posted: July 17, 2024
Marley, a black and white cat, has been nominated as a finalist in this year’s National Cat Awards for his role in supporting women who have been trafficked. Organized by Cats Protection, the event celebrates the profound connection between cats and humans.
Marley resides at Caritas Bakhita House in London, a safe haven for women who have endured enslavement, exploitation, and trafficking. Karen Anstiss, 59, who heads the house, describes Marley as the “heart and soul” of their residence, providing comfort and companionship to the residents.
‘First kindness in years’
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, aged 12, is nominated in the Connected Cats category for her role in comforting anxious pupils at Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone, Warwickshire, particularly during exam season.
She first arrived at the school about six years ago, appearing hungry and thin, but has since made herself completely at home. Cilla has even claimed six beds for herself, with two located in the library—her preferred spot.
Sally Taylor, 54, the headteacher at Outwoods Primary School, commented, “Cilla has a remarkable sense of intuition and always finds herself where she is needed most, whether it’s comforting an anxious pupil or waiting in the hall for our Year 6 students 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.”
‘Get a big orange cat’
Marmaduke, hailing from Manchester, is also a contender in the Incredible Cats category. His owner, Janice Cheetham, 64, credits him with pulling her out of a profound depression following her experiences as an emergency medical technician during the Manchester Arena attack. The tragic event, a suicide bombing after an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017, resulted in the loss of twenty-two lives.
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.
