Happy Rescue Anniversary to Hodge!

"On my way to work, I noticed a cat that looked really poorly. I approached it and I was able to stroke the cat and see some sort of injury on its lower jaw. Then some kids ran towards it and the cat escaped, it's an enclosed space and I really can't get inside. I waited for a good while but I really need to go to work. Is there anyone around Woolwich Arsenal DLR station who might be able to see what's wrong with this cat? It really looked like it was suffering ."

Almost one year ago exactly, the message above caught the attention of some Catcuddles' volunteers after it was posted on a local Facebook group. It included a picture that caused instant concern among our team, of a cat stood in a busy street, his black and white fur stained grey with dirt, and a large growth protruding from his chin.

With the help of the kind lady whose post raised the initial alarm, Catcuddles was able to quickly locate the cat. He was brought into the care of the charity, where he was given the name Hodge, and where he began receiving urgent veterinary treatment for his growth, the result of a serious infection.

We didn't know it at the time, but it was a very fateful day indeed - for Catcuddles, for Hodge, and for a famous London institution.

Southwark Cathedral had recently lost their much-loved feline resident, Doorkins Magnificat. They were in search of a very special cat indeed to fill the void she had left behind, and to help continue her legacy.

The Cathedral had long been supporters of Catcuddles' work, and so sought our help in finding a cat who might be well suited to calling such a grand and historic institution their new home. That cat was, of course, the friendly and rambunctious Hodge, who had by then made a full recovery after receiving treatment for his infected lower jaw.

One year later and Hodge is firmly settled at the Cathedral, where he regularly entertains visitors, interrupts sermons, and wanders the beautifully ornate and historic halls. He is much loved by the team there, by the Southwark community, and by thousands of fans from all over the world via social media. One year ago, his life was very, very different. His journey has been nothing short of amazing.

Just like Doorkins' before him, a stray who was ushered into the Cathedral on a cold winter's night, Hodge's story has resonated with many. It's a testament to the power of acts of kindness to transform our lives in wonderful and unprecedented ways, and to inspire others into similar acts themselves.

Happy rescue anniversary Hodge - long may you reign in Southwark.

(Photos courtesy of our friends at Southwark Cathedral).