National Cat Awards 2020: categories, deadline and how to enter your pet

The public can nominate their feline friends for one of the biggest events in the cat calendar, with the chance of winning a multitude of prestigious awards.

Five different categories

This annual event is run by the charity Cats Protection, celebrating cats across the nation, embracing stories of devotion, courage and companionship.

There are five categories that cats can be nominated in, including:

Hero Cat - for cats that save the day Outstanding Rescue Cat - which celebrates felines adopted from animal charities Most Caring Cat - for cats that positively impact a person’s health or well-being Furr-ever Friends - which celebrates tales of friendship between children and cats Purina® Better Together - which celebrates the special bond between cats and humans

When do entries open and how do I enter?

Entries open on Tuesday 14 January 2020, and owners will have until 12pm on Thursday 12 March to enter.

The awards will see the owners of the winning cats presented with their trophies at a daytime ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel, on Thursday 6 August.

The task of choosing the winners will be down to a panel of celebrity cat-lovers, including Andrew Collins, who will be one of the judges selecting the National Cat of the Year.

The National Cat of the Year 2020 will be the overall winner, who will inherit the title from Jeffree, a moggy from Coventry that helped a teenager with Asperger syndrome cope with the death of his father.

Cats Protection’s Awards organiser Kate Bunting said, “Cats have a unique take on life, capable of bringing a sense of calm and comfort while also being endlessly entertaining.

“Their sense of fun and devotion for their owners makes them much-loved pets in millions of homes.

“We’re proud to once again be hosting these Awards to celebrate everything we love about cats and we can’t wait to hear about the UK’s most fabulous felines.”

To nominate your cat visit: cats.org.uk/national-cat-awards