Maine Coon cat Darwin has been voted ROYAL CANIN® Rescue Cat of the Year for 2017 in a public vote attracting a whopping majority for Darwin!
Five year old Darwin lives with Alison and Mark Ware at TC’s Forever Home which the cat sanctuary the couple have devoted their lives to in Dundrum, Co. Down.
As one of currently 19 cats, all of whom have been adopted because they are elderly, disabled, special needs or terminally ill, Darwin’s role is to help settle new cats in and provide nurturing for any cat who needs it. Alison and Mark adopted Darwin aged six months, when his elderly owners could no longer cope.
The Top Cat prize is a hamper of ROYAL CANIN® goodies, and Alison and Mark will receive enough food to feed all their cats for a month.
Darwin’s story began in April this year, when he was shot in the face with a shotgun, suffering extensive facial damage. The lead shot blew a hole in the roof of his mouth up into his face, shattering his upper jaw and gum so that there was nothing left on the upper left side.
Darwin underwent several operations and almost died in Alison’s arms twice, but he and the vets fought incredibly hard, and 12 weeks to the day since his accident Darwin was fully recovered… apart from a little ‘Elvis’ lip and a tendency to dribble it is impossible to believe he was so badly hurt. Social media has given Darwin worldwide support, with his story featuring on Instagram as #toughestcatintheworld and #fightfordarwin.
Alison says: “We are so proud of Darwin. He has come through so much and still remained his magnificent, beautiful self. He really is a very special cat, and clearly sees himself as having a duty to look after us and the other cats, especially when a new one arrives.
“To have won enough food for a month is a significant prize for us. We are part of the local cat rescue community, and we usually fundraise through things like car boot sales and quiz nights for everything we need.
“Feeding 19 cats a month is a huge element of our costs, and because our cats are all quite sensitive in different ways we put huge emphasis on top quality food.”
ROYAL CANIN® provides top quality tailor-made nutrition for cats (and dogs!) based on their age, lifestyle, health sensitivities and needs, and even their breed. The range is available from good pet shops throughout the UK.
