Could your cat be Britain’s most marvellous moggy?

Cats protection is asking owners in the south east to nominate their furry friends in this year’s National Cat Awards.

There are five categories to choose from and cats do not have to be adopted from Cats Protection.

Cats Protection’s awards organiser Kate Bunting said: “This event is the highlight of the feline calendar and gives us the chance to celebrate everything we love about cats.

“Every year, the entries we receive go to show why cats make such great pets – whether it’s for helping their owners through times of sadness or loss, heroic moggies who come to the rescue or brave felines who survive against the odds.”

Categories include; Hero Cat for cats that save the day; Most Caring Cat for cats that have a positive effect on heath and wellbeing; Furr-ever Friends for tales of children and their cats; Outstanding Rescue Cat for animals adopted from shelters and PURINA Better Together which celebrates a bond between human and cat.

Salem was a constant companion to brave Jared Bignold, aged 15-years-old at the time, who faced a daily battle with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle wasting condition causing progressive mobility limitations.

But with his companion Salem at his side, it is a battle Jared never had to face alone.

Broadcaster and writer Andrew Collins, whose own cat Gerry was previously a stray, will be one of a panel of celebrity judges selecting the National Cat of the Year.

He said: “Cats make a house a home and whatever stage of life they join you, it improves everything.

“The National Cat Awards honour acts of extraordinary bravery, empathy and loyalty.

“Humans are lucky to be chosen and adopted by cats of all ages.”

The National Cat Awards is sponsored by PURINA and a panel of celebrity cat-lovers will select the winners.

The winning cats’ owners will then be presented with their trophies at a star-studded ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel on August 8 – coinciding with International Cat Day.