After living outside a Strood pub for four years, stray cat Sparkle’s life dramatically changed in a few hours last week.

And it was all thanks to the waxwing birds who were looking for berries in trees near the pub earlier in the year.

Anim-Mates cat manager Bobbie Bajwa said: “We got a call from the landlady of The Bounty pub.

“It had been sold, she was moving out that day and could we find Sparkle a home as there would be no one there to feed her.

“She didn’t own Sparkle, but as she and her staff had been feeding her for four years she felt responsible for her.

“Sparkle rarely wandered inside the pub as she was fearful of the landlady’s dogs.

“She’d made herself a home in the pub’s covered smoking area.”

After collecting Sparkle, Bobbie posted an appeal for a home on a local website.

The response was so overwhelming that within hours Sparkle went from living outside the pub to a vet where she was given a health check, vaccinated and microchipped to making herself comfortable in Sarah Dove’s West Kingsdown home.

The keen birdwatcher heard about the waxwings being seen near the pub through the KentOnline website last January.

Sarah said: “I travelled to Strood to photograph some of this unusual species of bird.

“As I walked past the pub this lovely black cat came up to me and rubbed herself against my leg.

“Ten months later I came across an appeal for a home for the very same friendly cat.

“I called Bobbie and asked if I could adopt Sparkle.”

After hiding under Sarah’s bathtub for the first hour, Sparkle eventually fell asleep on Sarah’s bed.

Anim-Mates is a volunteer-run rescue group in Ash where animals are cared for in the homes of fosterers until they are rehomed.

• All new homes are subject to vetting, visit www.anim-mates.org.uk