A seven-year-old London cat who lives at a safe house for women who have been enslaved, exploited and trafficked has been named National Cat of the Year by Cats Protection.
Black-and-white Marley beat thousands of other entries to be named overall winner in the nation’s biggest celebration of cats, held at London’s One Marylebone on 18 September and hosted by novelist and self-confessed cat lady Dawn O’Porter.
Marley was honoured in recognition of how he helps the guests on their journey to freedom at Caritas Bakhita House in London through his innate instinct for knowing when they need his comforting presence by their side.
“I’m so proud Marley has won National Cat of the Year – he’s a wonderful example of the power of love,” said Karen Anstiss, 59, Head of Bakhita House, currently home to 11 women from 11 different countries. “Often Marley placing a paw on our guests’ legs is the first kindness they’ve experienced in years. He has this incredible gift of empathy and has assisted many, many women along the road to recovery.
“We adopted Marley four years ago – he’d been in a rescue shelter and then taken in by a family whose cat bullied him. Before he went into rescue, I think he had a hard time. So, he recognises our guests’ trauma because he has suffered too.
“Initially he sits really close, to see how the women respond. Then he gently puts a paw on their leg letting them know they’re not alone. We had one guest who was so traumatised she didn’t speak to us – only to Marley – and because she trusted him, over time we were able to reach her.
“Marley is also staff supervisor, security guard – patrolling the grounds – and chief gardener. Nobody is allowed to touch his patch of daisies. In art therapy he’s a popular muse and one guest even composed a song for him. At 7pm staff and guests sit down for dinner together, like a family, and Marley joins us. Thank you to Cats Protection for showing how incredible cats are. Marley really is the fluffy heart of our home.”
To reach the final four cats in the National Cat Awards, Marley first won the Incredible Cats category – which celebrates cats whose bond with their humans inspires extraordinary acts of love in a public vote. He was then selected as overall National Cat of the Year by a panel of celebrity judges.
As overall winner, Marley won a trophy and prize package, which included a £200 pet store voucher. He follows in the paw prints of last year’s winner Zebby who won National Cat of the Year 2023 in recognition of how he supports his deaf owner Genevieve Moss by alerting her to sounds around the home.
Other category winners this year were:
Zara – Winner of the Family Cat category, who offered pastoral care to the congregation at St John the Evangelist in Bexley, comforting mourners and starring in wedding photographs.
Cilla – Winner of the Connected category, school cat at Outwoods Primary School in Atherstone, Warwickshire, who calms pupils before their SATs and restocked the school library.
Miss Dave Mittens – Winner of the Senior Cats category, golden girl Dave is 21 and has shared a lifetime of love with her owners.
Cats Protection’s Marketing and Income Generation Director Catherine Cottrell said: “The company of a cat transcends language and cultural barriers and, without any training, Marley offers a unique and vital brand of therapy to women escaping horrific abuse. He truly is an Incredible Cat.”
The National Cat Awards, organised by the UK’s leading cat charity Cats Protection, is an annual event, shining a light on real-life stories of heroism, loyalty and companionship in the feline world.