RSPCA Inspector to walk Northumberland Coastal Path in memory of cat who defied the odds and lived to 23

An RSPCA inspector is set to walk the Northumberland Coastal Path in memory of her cat who was so poorly when she was rescued that a vet gave her just six months to live.

Kirsty Keogh-Laws, who lives in Northumberland, has set herself the challenge of walking 100km (62 miles) from Cresswell to Berwick-upon-Tweed in memory of Mishka, who weighed 0.9kg when she was discovered at a house in Hull in 2010, along with more than 60 other cats. Despite the bleak outlook at the time, the nine-year-old feline lived for another 14 years after her adoption by Kirsty, but died in February this year at the age of 23.

The inspector first met Mishka when she was an animal care assistant at the RSPCA's Felledge Animal Centre, near Chester-le-Street, where the 60 plus Siamese and Bengal-type cats were taken after their rescue. They were all struggling with a range of health problems as a result of neglect and required many months of care.

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Mishka was skeletal and had to be fed tiny portions of food. Even though she made good progress, she wasn't expected to live for more than six months.

Kirsty, who has been an inspector for ten years, said: "She was a little bit feisty at first and every time I walked past her in the cattery she’d look at me to try and get my attention - she picked me really! I remember how tiny she was, and how slowly we had to build her nutrition up, but she did exceptionally well and went on to live a full and happy life.

"She was the friendliest cat ever and would cuddle up on your lap for hours like a baby. I wanted to channel the heartbreak of losing her into something positive which is why I decided to take on this challenge, which I’m calling ‘Mishka’s March,’ in her memory and raise money to help other animals like her.

Mishka's March will raise money for the Newcastle and Northumberland Branch of the RSPCA as the national charity celebrates its 200th anniversary this month. Kirsty will be joined by her friend Lucy Brennan, who is also an RSPCA inspector in the South of England, and the pair hope to complete the route in four days.

Kristy finished: "I’ve been training for the last couple of months but nevertheless this is going to be a proper challenge for me. Anyone who has pets will know how much they enrich and impact our lives, and every now and then a really special one comes along.

"Mishka was one of those, a one in a million cat who clearly thought she had a lot more than six months of living to do and I miss her dearly."