Therapy Cat Who Supports Trafficking Survivors Crowned Cat of the Year
The seven-year-old rescue is a shining example of the difference a little bit of feline love can make
Although cats are typically less renowned for their emotional intelligence than dogs (have you ever been crying and had your cat look at you with disdain?), cats can in fact smell stressopens in a new tab and some very special cats are attuned enough to human emotion to help support their humans. One such comforting feline is Marley, a seven-year-old rescue cat, who has just been crowned National Cat of the Year 2024opens in a new tab for his “incredible gift of empathy”.
Organised by Cats Protectionopens in a new tab, the National Cat Awards celebrate the extraordinary impact that cats have on our lives, and Marley has gone above and beyond beating thousands of other entries to be named overall winner in the nation’s biggest celebration of cats.
So, what makes Marley so special? Residing at Caritas Bakhita Houseopens in a new tab, a safe haven for women who have been trafficked, exploited or enslaved, he offers a type of therapy that no human could ever replicate – silent, unwavering companionship.
According to Karen Anstiss, head of Bakhita House, Marley has an instinctive ability to know exactly when someone needs him the most. “Often, Marley placing a paw on our guests’ legs is the first kindness they’ve experienced in years,” says Anstiss. His empathetic nature offers solace to women who have endured unimaginable trauma.
Before finding his forever home at Bakhita House, Marley had faced his own struggles. He was adopted from a rescue shelteropens in a new tab after being bullied by another cat in his previous home. Anstiss believes that Marley’s challenging past allows him to empathise with the women’s trauma on a deeper level. “He recognises our guests’ trauma because he has suffered too,” she explains.
“Initially he sits really close, to see how the women respond. Then he gently puts a paw on their leg letting them know they’re not alone,” says Anstiss. “We had one guest who was so traumatised she didn’t speak to us – only to Marley – and because she trusted him, over time we were able to reach her.”
It’s not just the emotional support Marley provides either. Like many cats with jobsopens in a new tab, he’s a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, doubling up as a security guard, staff supervisor and even chief gardener (he’s fiercely protective of his beloved patch of rosesopens in a new tab, if you must know). There’s even been a song composed in his honour during art therapy. This is no ordinary cat; Marley really is “the fluffy heart of our home,” says Anstiss.
Marley won the Incredible Cats category in the National Cat Awards, which celebrates the special bond between cats and their humans, before being selected as the overall winner by a panel of celebrity judges, securing the title of National Cat of the Year 2024.
While Marley’s story is truly inspiring, he wasn’t the only standout feline in this year’s competition. Other incredible finalists who captured the nation’s hearts include Lily, a one-year-old kitty whose three-quarter Maine Coon heritage means she’s a giant puff of white fluff. Her pet parent Rachel Lockhart explains that despite her youth, she’s an “old head on young shoulders, watching over the children with almost motherly concern”.
That motherly concern first became apparent to the Lockhart family when Rachel lost a relative and her three-year-old daughter Harlow was diagnosed with epilepsy. “Lily is so attuned to Harlow’s needs. Her epilepsy takes the form of absent seizures during which she blanks out for a few seconds. Afterwards, Lily sits with her, providing comfort,” explains Rachel.
But Lily’s nurturing instinct doesn’t stop there: Rachel also has a nine-year-old son, Zayn, who has autism and ADHD, and a six-year-old daughter, Reeva. Lily “also instinctively knows how to help Zayn who has ADHD and autism. When he’s stressed, Lily calms him down by pressing her paw on his head. And Lily’s best friend is Reeva, she sleepsopens in a new tab at the bottom of her bed. We are so lucky to have her caring for us all.”
Another nominee, Marmaduke, helped his pet parent Janice Cheetham by pulling her out of the “deep depression she fell into after the trauma of working as an emergency medical technician at Manchester Arena on the night of the May 2017 attack”. Janice credits Marmaduke for supporting her through the terrible situation and says, “My advice to anyone struggling with their mental health is: ‘Get a big orange catopens in a new tab.’ I honestly don’t know whether I’d be here today without Marmaduke.”
This year's National Cat Awards reminds us that our feline friends are more than just pets – they are heroes in fur, offering comfort and a sense of belonging, even in the darkest of times – and I’m sure Marley’s legacy as National Cat of the Year 2024 will no doubt inspire future winners to be just as impactful.
