'Loneliest cat' faces another solo Christmas because no one wants to adopt him

Toby has been with the RSPCA since Christmas Eve 2018

The RSPCA’s “loneliest” cat is facing a second consecutive Christmas alone after no one adopted him in 2019.

Toby, an 11-year-old black and white cat, has spent 322 days with the RSPCA after being taken in by their Canterbury branch on Christmas Eve 2018.

It normally takes just 28 days for a cat to be rehomed.

Toby was rescued from a home of 46 cats, of which 15 were cared for by the RSPCA.

However, while his former housemates were adopted,Toby has not been so lucky, partly due to his shy nature.

“Toby’s former housemates were re-homed quite quickly,” explained Beth Hixson from the RSPCA Canterbury branch.

“But poor Toby didn’t cope well with being in the cattery so hid away and wouldn’t come out to see people when they came to choose a cat.

“We found a foster home for Toby where he has proven to be a sociable, friendly and interactive cat,” she added.

“He loves to snuggle up on the bed at night and spend sunny days exploring the garden, he just needs to find a home where he can enjoy doing this for the rest of his days.”

The RSPCA typically takes in more than 10,000 vulnerable animals during the winter.

In 2018, there was a 28 per cent increase in calls to the charity’s cruelty line on Christmas day, with 934 reports made - the highest figure recorded since 2014.