'Moggy midwife' honoured at feline Oscars
6th August 2010
Pet insurance companies probably don't expect cats to double up as midwives when they agree on pet insurance cover.
But one cat in Hampshire has been recognised for his efforts to keep his owner calm as she prepared to give birth.
Marmite stayed with Lindsey Davies, 21, on his own when she went into labour at home in Fareham.
The "moggy midwife" stayed with her for two hours as her contractions got increasingly painful, until husband Huw arrived home.
Now, the cat has been named as the Rescue Cat of the Year 2010 at the Rescue Cat Awards, the feline equivalent of the Oscars, organised by charity Cats Protection.
The one-year-old pet was honoured at a ceremony at the New London Theatre in the West End attended by celebrity judges including comedian Iain Lee, actress Lesley Joseph, TV vet Emma Milne and children's TV presenter Sarah-Jane Honeywell.
Runners-up included Oscar, a former stray who has transformed the lives of elderly people at a care home; Bobby, who has an amazing ability to help his disabled owner recover from trance-like states; and Purrdy, a rescued cat who survived horrific abuse from an unscrupulous breeder.
Marmite's owners said not only was he an incredible birth partner, he was also a vital support to Ms Davies during a difficult pregnancy, much of which she spent housebound while suffering the painful condition of pre-eclampsia.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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