Near-blind kitten finds new adopted home after 400 mile trip

Bear needs daily eye drops and eye baths

A kitten left almost blind by cat flu has found a new home on the other side of the country after a couple fell in love with him on the internet.

Bear arrived at the Blue Cross's Ipswich centre "in an appalling state" when he was just three months old.

A couple in Somerset spotted him on the charity's website and knew, despite his deformed eyelids and partial sight, that they had to adopt him.

Several months later and after a 400-mile trip he is now settled with them.

Bear could barely see due to ulcers on his eyes, and his inner eyelids had fused together when he arrived in December. He needed two operations to save his vision, the Blue Cross said.

He can still only partially see and has deformed eyelids.

Bear can go outdoors but needs to be accompanied because of his poor sight

However, his non-conventional looks did not put off Tara Newton and Luke Thomas, from Yeovil.

"We wanted to give a home to a cat with a disability, as a lot of people overlook them," Ms Newton said.

"I saw Bear on the website and I just knew we had to have him. He looked like such a lovely little guy and he is."

They made the round trip of about 400 miles (645km) to Suffolk, and more than seven hours later, Bear was settling into his new home.

He still needs daily eye drops and morning and night eye bath as his tear ducts are deformed.

Bear also needs to be closely monitored as the cat flu that caused his problems - caused by the feline herpes virus - is incurable and will remain in his body for life, the animal charity said.

"He is so loving and affectionate," Ms Newton said.

"To go through so much at such a young age and still be so friendly is amazing."