The cat which found fame after running onto the pitch during a Liverpool Premier League match at Anfield has been found safe and well.
The stray tabby cat caused a stir when it wandered across the turf and stopped play during the 11th minute of a home game against Tottenham Hotspur last week. The moggy is now being taken care of at the Freshfield Rescue Centre, after being found roaming the streets of Anfield.
Within minutes of his appearance on TV, the cat became an internet sensation, as a video of his invasion onto the pitch got over three million views on YouTube and a Twitter account claiming to be the famous ‘Anfield Cat’ got over 50,000 followers.
Carers at the Freshfield Rescue Centre have named the cat. which is thought to be two years old, ‘Shankly’ in memory of one of Liverpool FC’s greatest managers, Bill Shankly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mliXahFPmxk
Helen Stanbury, general manager of the Freshfield Rescue Centre told JMU Journalism: “Shankly has been living rough on the streets around the ground for a good few months and was in a very bad way when he was brought in.
“He is covered in scabs, bites and abscesses so he has been given some antibiotics. Top of the agenda for him will be neutering, vaccination and micro-chipping; all things that any responsible pet owner would ensure happened anyway.
“He is wonderfully friendly, tolerant and loves being made a fuss of. As with all of our cats, he will put up for adoption in time and we will aim to find a permanent and loving home for him. Unfortunately, we cannot take reservations on him at this point in time however anyone who is seriously interested should give the rescue centre a call in three weeks.”
Freshfields Animal Rescue have set up a service where you can donate money to help to look after Shankly. You can text any amount between £1 and £10 to 70070, starting your text with LIVP11.