Nottinghamshire scrapyard cat saved after site closed for housing

A feral cat that lived in a scrapyard in Nottinghamshire for more than a decade has been rescued after the business closed. The animal, now called Dibbles, roamed a car-breaking business in Colwick for 11 years, and while it did not allow any humans near, it was fed by the owner and some nearby residents. With the site to be cleared for housing, volunteers from the Nottingham rescue group Cat Patrol spent hours trying to trap the streetwise feline before it was finally taken into care to be assessed for rehoming. Cat Patrol co-founder Zoey Sheffield said Dibbles is "doing really well and she is coming round nicely". Sheffield said a concerned resident made them aware of the cat. "We were told, 'It's been fed but the owner is having to leave the scrapyard because the land has been sold for housing and he is worried about the cat - can you help?' and of course we said yes," she said. However, cats that have lived on their own present special challenges. Volunteer Jeff Hough was tasked with getting the animal out of harm's way but also giving it a name. "Everyone was calling the cat a 'him' so I began to think about Top Cat, the cartoon cat who lived in a junkyard and lived in bins,"

Apr 6, 2026 → Apr 6, 2026