ALL that one-eyed Star the kitten wanted was tender loving care, but fate decreed he was dumped in a box and abandoned.

Not only was he homeless and at risk of drowning in torrential rain, but the scrap of fur could not even see out of his two badly-infected eyes.

Star needed help quickly. Luckily, he was found in the street by a passer-by, who took pity on him and he was handed into the care of a Hampshire RSPCA centre.

One of his eyes was so seriously damaged that it had to be removed by a vet. Star was lucky to survive becoming a down-and-out orphan and the risky surgery.

Cattery manager Cathy Wright, at the RSPCA Ark animal centre, Stubbington, near Fareham, said: "Poor Star couldn't have been in a much worse state than when he was brought in. He was just clinging on. He was in an appalling condition, in terms of health and physically.

"The only way to save his life was to remove one of his eyes because it was so badly infected. He might have died because of it and it was never going to get better.

"As if he hadn't already been through enough, Star had to get through surgery. It's risky because of the trauma an eight-week cat goes through.

"He might not have survived, but he is a star for getting through it all and that's why he has been given the name by the staff here.''

She charitably said that Star's owners were probably scared by Star's condition and did not know what to do. The heavy potential vet bills might also have deterred the kitten being treated earlier.

Star's appealing quality has so won over the cattery staff that they have taken him to their hearts and are allowing him to stay as a VIP guest.