A CAT from Shipley who survived for a month marooned on a small patch of rocks in a river has been named as a finalist in Cats Protection’s National Cat Awards 2023.

Dali beat thousands of other entries to take her place as one of three contenders in the Moggy Marvels category, which celebrates jaw-dropping stories of survival, heroism and companionship in the cat world.

The four-year-old moggy was selected as a finalist in recognition of her incredible tale of survival after she was found stranded at the foot of a 15ft drop into Bradford Beck, having been missing for a month.

Owners Rebecca Wilson and Ryan Benson spent weeks searching for the moggy with no joy, until a workman noticed a bedraggled cat perched on a 15ft square patch of rocks in the river.

Thin, hungry and exhausted, Dali needed minor treatment to her claws - which had become splintered through her desperate attempts to scale the wall to safety - but was otherwise in good condition.

Rebecca said: “We’d searched everywhere, put up posters and lots of posts on social media, but she was nowhere to be found. We were both really upset and my partner had started to give up hope, but I had a feeling she was out there somewhere.

"Then one day we got word that a workman had seen a cat on the rocks down the beck. He loaned Ryan his waders and Ryan waded through the beck to reach her. She was absolutely thrilled to see him and – for once – very happy to get into her cat carrier.

“We took her straight to the vets and they need to clip and tidy up her claws as they’d been damaged by her attempts to climb up the wall. She was skin and bone, but just needed feeding up, and had no lasting injuries.

“We’re incredibly lucky that there hadn’t been much rainfall, because if the beck had risen then she would have been swept away by the current. She’s a very lucky and brave cat, and we were absolutely overjoyed to have her home.

“We’ve no idea how she got down there but fortunately she seems to avoid going near that area now.”

Dali will now go through to a public vote to find winners in four categories – Cat Colleagues, Moggy Marvels, Family Fur-ever and Social Star. Voting is open now and cat lovers have until June 30 to vote for their favourite finalist by visiting cats.org.uk/nca Category winners and the overall National Cat of the Year will be announced during a ceremony at Wilton’s Music Hall in London on July 17.

Cats Protection’s awards organiser Ashley Fryer said: “Dali’s story is an amazing tale of bravery and determination to survive, and we’re thrilled it had a happy ending. Thanks to Rebecca and Ryan’s tireless efforts to find her, they were quickly alerted when she was finally spotted and Ryan was able to rescue her. It’s safe to say that Dali has definitely used up one of her nine lives, but her tale is a lovely story of a community working together.”