A CAT handed in to a West End rehoming centre looks to have finally found a new home after a family saw a column in the Echo.

Kirsty Smith, the rehoming supervisor at the Blue Cross Southampton centre based in West End, said Bruce, a nervous five-year-old, had been tricky to rehome having been with the centre for three months.

Despite that, when his new owners saw the weekly rehoming column which accompanies this page, they jumped at the chance to offer Bruce a permanent home to enjoy.

After a positive meeting, the centre staff are keeping their fingers crossed that he will be off to his new home very soon.

Kirsty Smith said: “He found it so hard to find a home because he wasn’t on view to the public, but also because he was very shy and wouldn’t show his character to people that came in to meet him.

“Bruce has finally had a very positive meeting with a family who saw him in the Southern Daily Echo. Bruce came out to meet them with the help of his volunteer friend, which really goes to show how important our dedicated volunteers are in helping bring on the cats and help them find new homes.”

Bruce had been in the centre’s care for three months, and took time coming out of his shell.

Kirsty said: “Bruce came to us from Victoria hospital where he was brought in as a stray. He didn’t cope in our normal cattery and would panic, so we moved him to quieter place which wasn’t on show to the general public.

“The team, especially our volunteers, really worked hard to bring him out of his shell and he formed close friendships with people he trusted, although would still hide from people he didn’t know.

“Fingers cross things continue to go well for Bruce and he goes off to a loving home soon, he is a wonderful boy.”

Bruce was very nervous, but staff said he was a “complete softy” and would curl up once he grew more confident and comfortable with people, and was hoping for a quiet and patient home.