This is Marmaduke, our ginger tom cat. He was rescued by the RSPCA and we found him in a cat shelter. Before we took him, he was being looked after by 'foster parents' who fed him till he regained his normal weight. He was very thin when he was found, but despite all the cruel treatment he has received, he is a very trusting cat and loves to sit on the laps of our guests. He also likes to meow early in the morning, and when we let him into our bedroom he lies on our bed with us. He particularly likes rabbit and duck flavour cat food, although we have discovered he will meow at the door of anyone who will give him something to eat.

He has a bit of a problem with his left eye, as he was neglected. It seems that he'd had an eye infection, and his previous owner did not have it treated. So we have a visually impaired cat (this is not a requirement for working for the RNIB, by the way) as his cornea is permanently discoloured. He doesn't seem to mind it, and will still chase birds, butterflies and anything else that moves. We have taken away some of his fun though, as we have fitted another bell to his collar (he lost the first two, but I think he likes this tartan one), but it still doesn't stop him trying to chase them. We took away more of his fun when we had him neutered, but at least now he doesn't come in looking like he's had a fight with a cat ten times his size.