Black and white cat Toby has been in RSPCA care since Christmas Eve 2018

The RSPCA has launched a national appeal in the run up to the festive season to find their loneliest cat a home.

Toby is 11 years old and was signed over into RSPCA care on Christmas Eve in 2018 – meaning he has spent 332 days in charity care.

Latest figures from the RSPCA show the average time a cat waits for a home is 28 days.

The unlucky moggy had spent his life in a household of 46 cats – 15 of them were taken in by the RSPCA’s Canterbury branch on Christmas Eve and all but Toby have now found a forever home.

Beth Hixson from the branch said: “Toby’s former housemates were re-homed quite quickly but poor Toby didn’t cope well with being in the cattery so hid away and wouldn’t come out to see people when they came to choose a cat.

“We found a foster home for Toby where he has proven to be a sociable, friendly and interactive cat. He loves to snuggle up on the bed at night and spend sunny days exploring the garden, he just needs to find a home where he can enjoy doing this for the rest of his days.

“We’d love to see him a new home for Christmas, there must be someone out there looking for an older cat for some company.”

Toby would love a quiet home with no children or other pets so he can relax and relish his retirement.

The RSPCA expects more than 10,000 vulnerable animals, like Toby, to be taken in by the RSPCA over the winter months.

RSPCA inspectors, animal welfare officers, and animal centre staff work 365 days a year to care for animals and Christmas is no exception.

On Christmas day in 2018 the charity received 934 calls to it’s cruelty line – the highest number for five years and a 28 percent increase compared with 2017.

Our Christmas campaign, Stock the Sleigh for the RSPCA, will help the charity to deliver vital, life-saving supplies to suffering animals who desperately need us. To help the RSPCA care for  thousands of animals left out in the cold this Christmas www.rspca.org.uk/giftofkindness or to donate directly to RSPCA Canterbury branch https://rspca-canterbury.org.uk/home/donate/.