An ex-stray cat has delighted fosterers by finding creative way to communicate with other despite having complete hearing loss.

Cookie, a tortoiseshell-and-white mature moggie has been in the care of Cat’s Protection Bracknell and Wokingham discovered that she was deaf when was taken to the vet when she first arrived at the centre.

Lynne Pothecary who volunteers for the Branch says: “When Cookie arrived, she had been straying for over three years and although we noticed that her meows were often very loud, we put that down to her years of living rough and needing to make herself seem larger than life to keep herself safe but when we took her to the vet, we discovered she’s entirely deaf.

"Cookie is one of the sweetest, most gentle cats we’ve had in care but it’s her intelligence that has really endeared her to us. Like most cats she will be very vocal if she has a complaint, but she also communicates in plenty of other ways.

“While Cookie has been with us, she has taken to sitting in her feeding spot when she wants to be fed; gently tapping your arm when she feels the level of petting or number of treats isn't up to her expectations and she thinks nothing of sitting beside the kitchen tap to highlight that she's thirsty.

“And these are just the things she’s been doing while she’s been in care, we expect once she’s in a home of her own, she will delight her new owners with an even wider range of communications!”

Despite having fosterers throughout her time at Cats Protection in Bracknell, Cookie has now been with the Branch for five times longer than the 42-day average.

Lynne adds: “We’re desperate to find a home for Cookie. All she really wants is a full-time lap on which to curl up and in return she will fill your heart and home with love and chatter! When you go out, she will welcome you home with her enthusiastic meowing and will purr to encourage her favourite past-times which include being brushed and stroked; eating her beloved crunchy treats; watching the world go by from a sunny window sill and if she’s lucky devouring some tuna in spring water!”