Staff at Yorkshire Cat Rescue have issued a plea to try a find a home for its longest resident cat in time for Christmas.

Tabby cat Lulu is just two years old but has spent almost half of her life with the charity.

She was originally brought to the rehoming centre after being found as a stray, nursing a litter of very young kittens. Unable to care for them herself, Lulu's kittens were placed in foster care until they were old enough to be put up for adoption.

Sadly, Lulu seems to have had some bad experiences with people, and took a long time to come around and trust anyone again. Shy and anxious Lulu has struggled to capture anyone's heart, and is now the charity's longest resident.

Yorkshire Cat Rescue's founder, Sara Atkinson, says: "It always breaks my heart when a cat spends a significant amount of time in a temporary home or in one of our pens. Cats love nothing better than the comfort of a steady and loving home, and this girl really just wants exactly that for Christmas. We all do. It would be a real little miracle."

After a lot of hard work, Lulu has finally begun to come out of her shell and lets her foster mum stroke her a little while giving her treats.

Although Lulu may never be your typical lap cat, she loves to play - especially with her feather toys - and will be truly grateful to anyone willing to give her a chance.

Sara says: "We do often take in cats that have not had the best start in life, but they deserve a loving home as much as any cuddly kitten.

"It would be best for Lulu to go and live with someone who has experience with cats, as she really needs lots of patience, love and gentle coaxing. So this is my wish for Christmas if anyone is listening."

Anyone willing to meet with Lulu and potentially offer her a home should contact the charity on 01535 647184 or [email protected]