A cat who has been living in the wild for as long as two years has been given a new home in Perth.
Local animal-lovers grew concerned about the cat’s health, particularly its severely matted fur, after numerous sightings of the male feline.
It sparked a bid to track and rescue Grey, who was scooped up by animal welfare charity Cats Protection for some much-needed care.
Part-time wedding photographer Chrissie Quinn, 36, became aware of him after multiple residents contacted her Facebook page – Missing Pets Perth and Kinross Scotland – to report the stray.
Followers soon began to point out the feline’s poor health, saying he needed urgent care for his matted fur.
Now, after a haircut and a check-up, Grey has been adopted by Chrissie.
She said: “It’s hard to say how long he had been straying for, but some residents in the area claim to have seen him as far back as two years ago.
“After posting about him, we got a message saying he needed urgent help.
“We speak to Cats Protection quite a lot and they were already looking for him in the area, so we decided to team up.”
She added: “He was living in a bush across from a woman’s house and she was leaving out food for him.
“He would eat it but run off as soon as someone came out, so we had to set up trail cameras to see him.”
The team eventually set up a trap to catch Grey, and on April 13 he was captured and taken to a Cats Protection centre in Perth.
Those at the charity described the cat’s fur as “severely matted” and he had no microchip or collar.
Fiona Morrison, a Cats Protection volunteer of 22 years who helped catch Grey, said: “He was in really bad condition when we managed to catch him.
“It’s a long time since I’ve seen a cat in such bad condition.
“His coat was very, very matted.
“He was unneutered and quite smelly.
“We got him to a vet for treatment and worked with him for a few months.
“With time and patience he soon transformed into this lovely boy and I’m very happy.”
His knotted fur had to be shaved off in an effort to improve his health.
A new home
Attempts were made to find his original owners, but when none came forward Chrissie took it upon herself to give the lonely stray a new home.
She said: “I just thought if nobody wanted him I could take him in.
“I have four other cats and two rescue dogs already, so it wasn’t a big change for me.”
Grey arrived at his new home on Monday night – and Chrissie says she has already been surprised by her new furry friend.
She added: “I was expecting quite a fierce and feral cat, but he’s really a big sook.
“He had a shave so he’s a bit of a baldy now, but it’ll grow back.
“Cats Protection have done a great job calming him down and making him much more friendly.
“Every cat that comes into their care they do an amazing job with.
“They really do turn them into a perfect pet.”
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