Cat wins award for helping students with exam nerves

Cilla is something of a celebrity

This is Cilla.

She's the resident cat at a primary school in Warwickshire, and her job is to soothe anxious pupils who are having a tough time.

The domestic shorthair came into the students' lives as a stray about seven years ago, and would come to the school every single day before they eventually took her in.

Now she's won an award for helping the students.

There when you need her

Cilla (short for Priscilla) comforts Year 6 students before and after their SAT exams, among other duties.

Headteacher Ms Taylor thinks Cilla is purr-fect for the job.

She said Cilla has a "calming" presence and "hangs out" with pupils in classrooms, during their breaks and on football pitches.

"She just wanders in and out of classrooms," Ms Taylor said.

"[Cilla] walks on tables and [in] assembly she sits next to different children and just wants strokes and cuddles all day."

The children take great comfort from her

The school knows which students take particular comfort from her, and so make sure they have time to give her a cuddle and a stroke during the day.

Ms Taylor said: "She just seems to have that instinct and when a child needs her, she's just around."

Cilla looks very happy in her role

Pawsome work

Her efforts have not gone unnoticed - She has won the Connected Cat category at the Cat of the Year Awards, run by charity Cat's Protection.

It aims to celebrate community cats which "bring joy and happiness" to people's lives.

Not only that, but she's something of a social media celebrity, with 26,000 followers on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Ms Taylor said that her connections on social media have "opened [the children's] eyes to the world" as people all over the globe send in messages and presents for her.

Cilla isn't short of places to snooze

Cilla lives a life of luxury at the school, as she has six beds across the building including two in the library.

It makes sense she has extra places to put her paws up there, as she helped raised £5000 to restock the books in it.

Well done Cilla.