National Cat Awards 2023: Meet the finalists!

Which cats will come out on top this year?

The National Cat Awards are back for another year, and the line-up of fantastic felines in the running for the top prize has now been announced.

A range of amazing cats have been selected as finalists, from ones that spread cheer wherever they go, to caring cats who provide comfort in times of need.

The yearly event is organised by the charity Cats Protection and there are four competition categories: Family Furever, Cat Colleagues, Social Star and Moggy Marvels.

The winners of each of the individual categories as well as the overall National Cat of the Year will be chosen by a panel of judges and the results will be announced during a ceremony in London on 17 July.

So which contenders could be named Cats Protection's National Cat of the Year 2023? Read on to find out more!

Zebby

Zebby hasn't had any training, but he's become a hearing cat for his owner Genevieve, who is deaf and lives alone.

Whether it's the phone ringing, someone at the door, or a sound in the night, Zebby will tap Genevieve's face or pace in front of her, alerting her that she needs to put on her hearing aid.

"Without my hearing aid, I can't hear anything, but now I have Zebby to help me," she said.

"He is very helpful and likes to bring me things - he'll get the post from the doormat and pick it up in his mouth before dropping it in the bedroom. He even brings me my slippers if he finds them somewhere other than my feet!"

Milo

Top cat Milo is loved by his whole family - including his best canine pal, dog Max! Milo also helps support the family's son, who has autism.

"Milo is my son's best friend, and they're never far apart. The first thing he does when he comes home from school is find Milo," said mum Sue.

"If he is feeling overwhelmed or stressed, he'll spend some time with Milo and it will help him feel more grounded. Milo is patient and loving, and my son takes great care of him, making sure he has everything he needs."

Jem

Cat Jem is not only a much-loved pet for diabetic teenager Jodie, but she's also life-saver. She can sense when Jodie's blood sugar is dangerously high or low, and races to alert other members of the family by pacing around in front of them.

Jodie had lots of great things to say about her special cat. "If I fall asleep, she'll tap my face and if there's no response she runs off and paces around my mum or sister before running back and forth to me, and they know to come and check on me. She's done it more times than I can count and each time I think she's my little life-saver."

Henry IX

Henry IX has a royal name fit for his regal surroundings! He spends his days at Hampton Court Palace in London where he provides companionship to workers there including the gardeners and night patrol staff.

"Hampton Court Palace has a long history of having a resident cat in the gardens, and Henry came to join us eight years ago," said gardener Jo Ward.

"Since then, he's become a pivotal member of the team, whether it's keeping us company while we're working, or keeping rodents at bay. Gardening can be a lonely job - especially during the pandemic - but Henry is always around."

Benji and Bailey

Brothers Benji and Bailey are owned by couple Lauren and Jen who have jobs which make it difficult for them to see one another. The cats are always there when they return home as constant and calming companions.

"Working on the frontline is always demanding but during the pandemic it was particularly challenging at times. Coming home to the cats made such a difference and lifted our spirits so much," said owner Lauren.

Smokey

Smokey lives at the Walton Lea Partnership which is a charity supporting adults with learning disabilities. The sociable tabby loves nothing more than pottering about meeting supported learners, greeting visitors and supervising the office staff.

Smokey's volunteer carer Karen Nugent said: "Smokey chose us - she used to live nearby but kept coming on site and eventually her previous owners allowed Walton Lea to take over her future care. She loves being around, she is very sociable so she gets round to see everyone. Our supported learners love Smokey - if they're having a bad day, they'll seek her out for a cuddle."

Calliope

Calliope is still only a kitten, but she's made a big impact on social media thanks to her fun-loving and affectionate nature. Calliope's owners launched her TikTok account and she now has thousands of fans.

"I had struggled with mental health issues in the past and we thought getting a cat would help, and Calliope absolutely has," Calliope's owner Nicole said.

"She's got a huge personality, always looking for something new to explore or a new game to play. She brings us so much joy and laughter that we felt we needed to share the fun with other cat lovers."

Eric

Cat Eric was adopted by owners Paul and Helen and he's brought smiles to thousands of followers, while showing the world how much rescue cats have to offer.

"Eric had a really tough start to life, he was a stray kitten and had been very poorly, so much so that he nearly died. He was nursed back to health and we adopted him and continued to help build up his strength. It wasn't long before he was living life to the full - playing, exploring and being a brilliant companion to us," said owner Paul.

Elsa

Each day, Elsa takes the 100m walk to his local shopping area where he spends his time visiting countless shops, banks and salons. His sociable antics have made him a local celebrity!

"All the staff and shoppers love him, and his Facebook page is full of photos of him in various places, and with all sorts of people. He is such a character and is very well known and loved locally," owner Gavin said.

Willow

Willow's owner Amanda has diabetes. When her blood sugar fell dangerously low one day, Willow was there to save the day by waking up his Amanda's partner Ray.

"I had fallen asleep in front of the TV and then around 4am, I was woken by Willow biting at my legs and jumping at me. It was very out of character for her and made me get up to see what all the fuss was about," Ray said.

"[Amanda] was very unwell and rushed to hospital where, fortunately, they were able to treat her. I was absolutely stunned - Willow had saved her life. She's an incredible cat, a total hero."

Dali

Dali had been missing for a month when she was eventually found by the Bradford Beck river. Exhausted, hungry and in need of treatment to her claws - which had been damaged during her efforts to scale a 15ft wall to safety - Dali was otherwise unharmed from her four-week ordeal.

"We were both really upset and my partner had started to give up hope, but I had a feeling she was out there somewhere. Then one day we got word that a workman had seen a cat on the rocks down the beck," said owner Rebecca.

"She's a very lucky and brave cat, and we were absolutely overjoyed to have her home. We've no idea how she got down there but fortunately she seems to avoid going near that area now."

Beau

When David adopted rescue cat Beau, he had no idea what a positive impact she would soon have on his life. Just 18 months later, David was diagnosed with incurable blood cancer. But throughout it all, Beau was his constant companion.

"When I first saw Beau, she was the longest staying cat at the Cats Protection adoption centre - she was overweight, had a heart murmur and at eight-years-old, she was considered an older cat. She had been passed up by lots of other people but something about her caught my eye," said Beau's owner David.

"Beau was already a special cat, but it was when I became unwell that she really came into her own."