In contrast to last week’s article that featured highly sought-after Rag Doll cats, this week the focus is on cats who, arguably, have less aesthetic appeal but who are all very special in their own, unique ways.

Firstly meet Jade, pictured.

She is completely blind in one eye and can see shapes and shadows with her other one.

We think she had some form of eye infection earlier in her life, and it looks as though her jaw has been broken at some point, but we’re really not sure about her background.

When she first came to us she was emaciated, and we had to feed her little and often for a couple of weeks so that she wouldn’t retch.

She’s now eating normally, has gained sufficient weight, and is ready to find her new home.

Jade’s new home will need to be one that provides her with lots of security, and it probably wouldn’t be safe for her to roam outside.

She has lived with dogs and cats before but if she is rehomed with other animals, or with children, they will have to be gentle and quiet around her.

At the other end of the weight spectrum we have Karen - she quite literally looks like a football, the poor thing.

She’s come from a busy household and has been living with a dog, and to get away from it all she’s spent most of her time hiding.

She will run (well, waddle) for cover when she’s scared or agitated by another animal, and yet as soon as a human appears she’s first in the queue for cuddles â?¦ and she is very, very cuddly.

Karen needs a new owner who will place her at the centre of their world but who will be strict about her diet and encourage her to exercise. Her weight loss needs to be gradual and will take several months because she needs to half in size. Her new owner will be rewarded with an amazing companion and an eye-catching tabby Manxie who turns heads for the right reasons, and not because she is morbidly obese.

And then we have Mr Fredrickson, an extremely handsome tabby who, unbelievably, came to us as a stray. We don’t understand why his previous owner hasn’t reported him missing because he is so affectionate and loving - a real ’lap cat’. We think he’s about 15 and he had a few health issues when first came to us in June, but he will just need monitoring from now onwards.

Mr Fredrickson gets on with other cats but he deserves a retirement home where he can relax, and not be in competition for either food or affection.

Finally, we have Shadow - a 10-year-old black male cat who is everyone’s best friend. He was bullied by the cat he lived with previously, despite being a large cat himself, and so he needs a new home where his gentle and laid-back personality can be accommodated.

He has a minor heart condition which means that he needs to be given a tablet once a day. He’s usually good about eating his tablet crushed up in his food, and so this shouldn’t be a major concern for his future owner - but daily medication is something that often puts people off adopting.

One of the most rewarding things about adopting an animal is that you are giving a second chance to a creature that has usually not had the best of lives previously.

All four of the cats above deserve to live out their lives in comfort, with owners who understand their needs and who are prepared to go the extra mile to meet them.