An Isle of Wight cat charity has appealed for a home for a cat recovering from a medical condition.

Cats Protection Isle of Wight has put out a plea to rehome O'Malley, who suffered from entropion, a painful condition that turns one of his eyelids inwards and rubs irritatingly against his eye.

O'Malley is making a recovery after the charity organised an operation to fix his eye, with the only real consequence being that the cat has a slightly quirky look.

However, rehoming the cat is proving hard for the charity.

O'Malley is recovering well from his operationO'Malley is recovering well from his operation (Image: Cats Protection)

Centre Manager Mel Read said: "It is never easy finding a home for an older cat but if they have a history of poor health - even when cured - people are reluctant to take a second look.

“O’Malley enjoys the company of people, especially if they have a warm lap where he could soak up all the love, but he is finding it really quite lonely at the centre.

"O’Malley has lost his spark and we need someone to help get it back.

"Surely that’s not too much to ask.”

Cats Protection Isle of Wight is finding it more difficult to rehome older cats.

This year on average, kittens and young cats aged up to one year old took 26 days to rehome, one to seven-year-old cats took 34 days to rehome, and cats more than seven years old took 44 days to find a home.

Senior cats (11-15 years) get the toughest break, taking an average of 50 days to be rehomed on the Isle of Wight.

Mel said: “Older cats can make ideal pets and often slot neatly into a new family.

"Many of them have lived ten years or more in a loving home and it can be traumatic to suddenly find themselves homeless in a rescue centre.

"When eventually they are homed, they can be so loving and appreciative of regaining their home comforts.

"They have so much love to share.”