THE future of a cat looked bleak when it started life in a Somerset village - “looking scabby and ugly” her previous owner thought putting her down was the only option.

But Snowy was taken to a vet named Jon Highnet, in Evercreech, who gave her a home and a place to recover for the treatment needed to cure her skin condition.

And she’s become the talk of the town she nows live in, on the other side of the region in Bude, Cornwall. Snowy’s condition has given her a distinct look which is what locals find so endearing, and she’s also affectionately known as ‘Meth Cat’.

But her new townsfolk are up in arms when it was discovered she had been catnapped

Jon and Holly Highnet have taken care of her for more than 16 years. Holly said: “She was rescued by my husband after her owners brought her to him to be put to sleep because she had such bad skin. Jon brought her home to me with no fur apart from a few tufts behind her ears and a bit on her tail.

“Jon wouldn’t put her down wanting to give her a chance at home with us. We were living in Somerset at the time in a village called Evercreech. A quiet and peaceful place for her recovery.

“We did some tests and she was allergic to house dust mites and chicken amongst other things. Jon treated her with steroids and immunotherapy and she got better but never stopped itching.”

The family moved several times before settling in Bude in 2016.

Holly said: “She settled initially but she would wander into town or to the Co-op car park and be super friendly. People would pick her up and assume she was unwell because she had bad skin. I was always on Facebook trying to find her because some one would pick her up and take her home with them.

“She was so scabby and ugly looking people coined the name Meth Cat on Facebook because she looked like she had a meth habit...and a legend was born.

“Bude loved it and a Facebook page was created called Meth Cat. Still active to this day.”

Unfortunately, Snowy’s health deteriorated recently and the family were left even more concerned when she did not return from her usual walkabout.

It later transpired she had found her way into the back of a van and was allegedly ‘catnapped’.