A cat from Lydbrook, who helped a teenage girl overcome anorexia, has been shortlisted for a prestigious award after being named as a finalist in Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards 2017.

Felix beat hundreds of other entries to take his place as one of three contenders to receive a Special Recognition Award, which celebrates the amazing stories of cats adopted from the charity.

Felix was selected in recognition of how he helped Victoria Williams, 18, overcome a serious eating disorder.

Victoria had been diagnosed with anorexia at 15 and needed to take long periods of time off school. Seriously ill and lonely, she became increasingly withdrawn until a newspaper article about an abandoned litter of kittens caught her eye. With all the others rehomed, just one tiny kitten remained in the care of Victoria’s local Cats Protection branch in the Forest of Dean – and she was instantly smitten. Felix came home with Victoria, and the pair haven’t looked back. Three years later, Felix has grown into a strong and playful young cat, while Victoria, now 18, has made a full recovery and is now enjoying college life.

See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition.