A Devon Rex cat who attacked people if they got too close after being rescued from horrible conditions, has undergone an amazing transformation and won an RSPCA competition.
Mishka, the 15-year old Devonshire Rex cat was rescued by the RSPCA in 2011 after she had been living in one room of a caravan and in awful conditions.
This meant the pedigree cat was severely wary of people when she was rescued. But despite all of Mishka’s behavioural issues, Katherine Butterley from Godalming in Surrey decided to give her a chance.
Katherine said: “I cannot stress how close to being unrehomeable she was. She couldn’t be handled, she was completely frightened of people and other animals and she’d put her last fosterer in A&E because she was so incredibly scared of humans.”
Now Mishka is affectionate and loving to Katherine and loves nothing more than curling up for a cuddle or jumping on her shoulders.
It was Mishka’s amazing transformation which won her the title of Best Pet in the RSPCA’s Howloween online competition, which was held on Saturday 31st October,
The competition saw a series of online sessions such as pumpkin carving, baking with last year’s Great British Bake Off winner, David Atherton, a quiz with influencer Jess Megan and a Home Pet Show presented by CBBC’s Pets Factor vet Rory Cowlam and actor and influencer Sophie Craig.
Katherine said: “It was so lovely to win the competition and I want to thank everybody involved.”
Katherine rehomed Mishka from charity Devon Rex Cat Club after she went into the breed specific charity’s care following the rescue. Katherine believed she was Mishka’s last chance and it seemed Mishka thought so too as on her very first night in her new home, she curled up on Katherine’s lap for a snooze – showing what a calm and loving cat she was capable of being.
Katherine added: “I had to take a picture because I didn’t thnk anyone would believe me. It’s taken a while but she’s so calm now. She’s super clever so she’s re-learnt all her behaviour and I think that she’s constantly learning, even now at 15, which means she was able to transform so much.
“She was physically in a bad way too and needed her diet to be changed which helped a lot but behaviourally she was in a really bad way. Now she’s superb. She likes shoulder surfing and loves being close to me and climbing into bed at night.
“She’s just an absolute joy. The risk really was worth it. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to touch her nevermind like we are now. We’re like an old married couple now!”
If you’d like to take a chance on a rescue cat, visit www.rspca.org.uk/findapet
