Penelope the cat had a close shave after being rescued from the street and taken into the care of an animal charity.

The rare breed Chinchilla Persian was found in Wandsworth, south west London, wandering around with long and matted fur, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home said.

She was underweight and dirty when found by a member of the public, the charity said, adding that they had no choice but to give her a "special haircut".

Battersea's head of catteries Lindsey Quinlan said: "Penelope was in a really grubby state when she arrived at Battersea, who knows how long she's been on the streets by herself. She's still quite young and rather small so it's lucky she was found and rescued by someone before she ended up in an even worse state."

Of the 3,000 cats the home took in last year only 14 of them were Persian breed.

Now the charity is appealing for a cat-lover - willing to keep on top of the grooming - to take Penelope, who was not microchipped, into their home.

Ms Quinlan said: "She's a really friendly cat who enjoys a fuss and being around people. She's a long haired Persian, so will need an owner who'll be willing to keep her coat in good condition, with regular grooming to avoid her becoming a matted moggie again."

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