A stray cat, who has problems with her eyes which causes her to have constant tears, is now looking for a new home.

The one-year-old black feline was first brought into Mayhew by a member of the public, who discovered the stray cat, later named Igloo, roaming the streets in North West London.

Mayhew’s Cat Welfare Coordinator, Georgina Disney, said: “After the member of the public found gorgeous and friendly Igloo, they immediately brought her into our Home.

“Unfortunately Igloo was not microchipped, and sadly, no one came forward to collect her. We strongly advise all cat owners to have their animal microchipped to significantly increase their chances of being reunited should the unthinkable happen and their pet becomes lost or is stolen.

“It’s also important to keep details up to date on the microchipping database and to notify the chip company if you change phone numbers, address or if your pet does go missing.”

As soon as Igloo arrived she was given a thorough health check by our Vet team at our on-site Community Vet Clinic.

Mayhew Vet, Dr Emma Robinson, said: “When Igloo was first brought in we noticed she had dried eye discharge and mild conjunctivitis in both eyes. Although they were initially improving with topical eye treatment, the eye discharge continued.

“We suspected that this may be due to a blockage of the tear ducts, meaning that the tears do not drain from the eye as they normally would. If the tear ducts are blocked, the tears are unable to drain away and end up running down the face.

“Blockage can be due to abnormalities of the ducts from birth or due to damage from a virus. We were able to flush the left tear duct under anaesthetic, allowing drainage from that duct. Unfortunately the right tear duct is permanently altered meaning that she will always have a mild discharge from the right eye. This does not cause her discomfort, but just means the area around the eye needs to be cleaned and dried daily.”

After receiving medical attention and care from our Vet team, including vaccinations and neutering, we put Igloo on foster with one of our experienced carers, so she could enjoy a loving home environment whilst she waited for her happily ever after.

Igloo’s foster carer, Tessa, said: “Igloo has been a joy to look after. She loves to play, scampering down the hallway to hide just out of sight, inviting me to follow for games with her ribbons, shoelaces and feathers. She is the sweetest friend and her clear happiness when she is feeling loved is a wonderful thing to share.

“Igloo doesn’t miaow, but she’s very expressive with her variety of enchanting little noises.”

If you are interested in adopting Igloo or any cats in our care, please visit here or call on 020 8962 8000.

Our Animal Welfare Officers and Vet team respond to hundreds of abandoned, neglected and abused animals every year and provide ongoing support to carers and pet owners in vulnerable situations. Find out more about our work and please consider a donation so we can continue helping more animals.