Liverpool Echo: LFC cat needs new home

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.

A stray cat which become an internet sensation after bringing a match at Anfield to a temporary halt is looking for a new home.

The grey and white tabby, which hit the headlines after he wandered on to the pitch minutes into Liverpool's clash with Tottenham Hotspur on February 6, has now been taken in by a Merseyside animal charity.

The cat enjoyed a sprint around the ground before he was scooped up by a steward and released on to the streets outside the stadium.

Within minutes his fame had spread worldwide on social networking sites including Twitter and YouTube, leading to fans looking for him around the streets of Anfield.

Last weekend FreshfieldS Animal Rescue Centre received a call from a resident who lived near the football ground telling them where the cat could be found.

Now the cat is settling in to his temporary home.

Despite nursing a few scratches, staff say the cat, which they are calling 'Shanks' after the legendary Anfield manager Bill Shankly, is doing well.

Caroline Taylor, cattery manager, said: "When he was brought in he was quite scabby and dirty. He's got a few scratches to his face and legs from fighting other cats but other than that he is in good heath.

"Despite not having a home Shanks came to us at a very good weight. He's obviously been fending for himself well on the streets.

"He has settled in really well at the centre. Usually it is a very stressful palace for cats to adjust to but Shanks has felt at home since arriving.

"He's very comfortable in his own little room with his Liverpool scarf and pictures of his namesake up on the wall.

"He is a gorgeous cat. He's soft-natured and very laid-back."

Caroline added: "It's great to have Shanks at the centre. After he was spotted at Anfield my friend texted me telling me what had happened. Then I heard how he'd become an internet sensation and now we're taking care of him.

"Since Shanks arrived we have had lots of people visiting to catch as glimpse of him. He's been enjoying all the attention and has happily posed for photographs."

Shanks is currently on a course of antibiotics but Caroline hopes to rehome him in the next three to five weeks.

She said: "After a course of antibiotics and a dental check he will be neutered. That will stop his roaming instincts and then he will be ready to go to a new home.

"In three to five weeks he'll be ready to go. We will put his details on our website and hopefully a owner will step forward and provide him with a warm and loving home."

Source: Liverpool Echo

This story has been reproduced from today's media. It does not necessarily represent the position of Liverpool Football Club.