Cat-mad volunteers are having kittens about going under the needle this weekend in Stalham for a cause close to their hearts.

The 13 have agreed to have the Feline Care Cat Rescue logo tattoed on their bodies to raise cash for the charity through sponsorship.

They are also hoping that the cat's face logo, which will be inked on either an arm, wrist, knee, ankle or back, will help raise the charity's profile in the years ahead whenever someone spots it and asks questions.

'Some of them have never had a tattoo before and they're pretty scared,' said Michelle King, fund-raising and administrative officer for the charity.

The novel idea came from volunteer Heidi Goldsmith, a friend of tattoo artist Paul Syrett, who is also keen on cats.

Paul has agreed to tattoo the logo on all the volunteers for free at his Monster Ink Tattoo Studio, on Stalham's Bank Street, this Saturday, May 18.

Michelle said the volunteers were extremely nervous, but excited, and were prepared to suffer the pain to help homeless Norfolk cats.

Feline Care, based in East Harling, relies on fund-raising and donations to look after up to 150 rescued cats until a permanent home is found for them.

Annual running costs are about £75,000, including vets bills of around £15,000, plus some £7,000 spent on food. All cats leave the site micro-chipped and neutered

The organisation used to be part of the Sussex-based Cat and Rabbit Rescue Centre which announced that it wanted to close its Norfolk branch in 2011.

Cat lovers raised £70,000 in 14 weeks to buy three acres of land and set up a new charity to keep it going.

? To support the cause visit https://mydonate.bt.com/charities/felinecarecatrescue or send a cheque payable to Feline Care, mark the envelope 'Tattoo sponsorship' and post it to: Feline Care Cat Rescue, Roudham Road, East Harling, NR16 2QN or donate by text: text FCCR12 £5 to 70070

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