Cat from Cornwall stars as 'Miss July' in national calendar
14-year-old moggie Amber was chosen for her distinctive pale ginger and white colouring
A mature moggie from Feock, near Truro, has fought off competition from cats half her age to be named Miss July in Cats Protection’s annual calendar.
Photogenic Amber was chosen for the starring role because of her distinctive pale ginger and white colouring and lengthy whiskers.
Taken in by the charity’s Cornwall Adoption Centre in Carnon Downs at the end of 2006 when she was just a tiny kitten, Amber was adopted later in 2007 once she was old enough to move to a new home.
Originally named Angel as part of a Christmas litter, owner Elaine Williams - who taught at Truro and Penwith College at the time - invited her students to choose a less seasonal name and the group picked out Amber.
Now 14 years old, Amber is still as playful and inquisitive as she was when she first arrived in her new home.
“She’s a really cheap cat to keep amused. Amber’s favourite toys are cardboard boxes and crinkly sweet wrappers. She is also a big fan of catnip so has several catnip toys including a ‘big ol catnip sack’ that gets licked and mauled regularly.
“She has always loved climbing - when she was smaller it was shelves and curtains and I had a few worrying moments early on when I came into the room and found her balanced on top of the curtain rod looking very pleased with herself. She graduated to the trees in the garden when she was allowed out and on a couple of scary occasions has even been on the roof of the house! She still climbs trees but luckily can’t get quite so high these days.”
Elaine Williams, owner
Elaine, who has volunteered at Cornwall Adoption Centre as a cat carer for the past year, noticed Amber’s quirky love of attention coupled with an innate shyness tends to mean she will run away when anybody new tries to give her attention, despite having enticed them in by rolling on her back and rubbing up against them. She laughs, “She’s a very odd but adorable cat. She is very communicative, making lots of chirps and meows which get increasingly demanding when she is hungry or feels her needs are not being met. She has several tactics that she tries in order to get fed on demand! Having said that, she has always been sweet natured and a very affectionate cat.
“I’ve definitely benefitted from having her and my other cat around during lockdown but it’s only a minor extension of the benefit of having them in my life anyway. They noticeably enjoyed it when I was around a lot more but in turn I’ve enjoyed spending more time with them and appreciating their quirks and oddities. They are a responsibility but they also bring so much fun and joy that I wouldn’t be without them.”
The 2021 calendar, which costs £5, is available to buy online as well as through the charity’s nationwide chain of retail shops where lockdown restrictions allow.
Cats Protection relies solely on donations to fund its work nationwide and has had face-to-face fundraising curtailed by the pandemic. Bosses hope the calendar will help raise much-needed funds for the cats and kittens in the charity’s care who are looking for new homes.