All cats are special in their own lap-warming, toy-chasing, head-bumping ways, but there are a few cats that have gone above and beyond to show how truly unique they are.

Two kittens born with a rare genetic condition causing them to have extra toes on their paws are being cared for at Cats Protection’s North London Adoption Centre. Eleven-week-old sisters Boots and Mittens have more than the usual 18 toes, thanks to the inherited condition known as polydactyl.

There are many tell-tale signs of a home with a cat; cat toys strewn across the floor, cosy boxes and beds in every room and of course a sprinkling of cat fur on the soft furnishings.

Every year on 27 October, we celebrate the black and black-and-white cats who are so often overlooked for adoption, just because of their colour. National Black Cat Day brings monochrome moggies into the spotlight, showing that they have just as many head bumps and purrs to give as their colourful counterparts.

In 2018, black-and-white cat Tasha was finally offered a forever home after spending a year in the care of Cats Protection’s Gateshead & Newcastle Branch. In return, the three-year-old moggy has enriched the life of her new owner Phil Sherry, by helping him with his mental health struggles.

Black-and-white cat Jessie was one of the first cats to arrive at Cats Protection’s newly established Richmond Branch and has left a lasting impression on the volunteers who cared for her.

For Hazel Parkyn, cat Walter is a lifeline, warning her when she’s about to suffer a diabetic attack. Hazel was left with PTSD, head injury seizures and auto immune conditions, including type 1 diabetes, after she was attacked by a patient while working as a psychiatric nurse.

If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night to see two glowing eyes staring at you from you across the room, you might think you’ve found yourself in a horror movie.

Shirley Ann, from Dalry in Scotland, feel less lonely following the death of her closest friend, all thanks to her cat Boots. Shirley Ann was devastated when, in November 2013, a suicide attempt left her best friend permanently paralysed and hospitalised for 18 months.

Blogger and cat lover Aimee Wilson explains how cats are more than just pets, they’ve helped her cope through mental health struggles and a hospital stay.