An ex-call girl who lives with 46 cats has told of how her former sex work and sale of her possessions financed her looking after the felines.
Going by the alias Cat English, the 36-year-old has written an erotic memoir entitled 'Briefly Yours', which comes out later this month.
In the book, she has described her former sex work and how she used the money to look after and support her beloved animals.
"I started lap-dancing first when I was about 23-years-old and then I started rescuing cats that were in need," Cat told LancsLive .
"It's funny actually because I used to be a dog person and cats scared me a bit.
"It started because my sister lived near a farm and there was a cat there that looked really hungry and when we gave it some food it ate it all up.
“The next day it brought its mother and then the day after that more of its family, so we knew there was this big colony near by that was really struggling.
"From there, I've just really wanted to raise awareness of the importance of looking after cats and especially the importance of neutering and microchipping.
"Some people think feral cats are just for rodent control but they need looking after just as much as any other animal."
When she found the cats near the farm, they were living in an abandoned house with a poorly constructed roof.
Cat decided that she would take them in during the winter to give them better conditions to live in and has since amassed 46 in her East Lancashire home.
She continued: "I was worried about them getting poorly so I brought the cats in for the winter but then when the summer came along I decided to keep them.
"These cats just need a second chance, a lot of them are forgotten about and they're so nervous around humans.
"They just need a bit of TLC, particularly the ones that people have abandoned because they know what it's like to be cared for by a human at one point in their lives.
"I'm not mad at anyone, I just wish people were more aware about how to look after them.
To help with financing the cats, Cat English worked as a call-girl, something she is keen to put in her past. She tells LancsLive that at the time, it was "just a job" and it would be "on and off" to help pay for expenses such as vet bills.
More recently, Cat has taken to selling her belongings, including her car and items of jewellery to help pay for them.
She said: "I am no longer a call-girl but it did give me a chance to build up my following so that I could talk about looking after cats to more people and I also have access to professional advice.
"I live with my boyfriend now but I had to sell my belongings for the cats. The last item of jewellery I had was this gorgeous necklace but I had to sell it.
"I've also converted my house for the 46 cats I have and they have free roam of the converted garage and conservatory.
"They all get along with each other but cats are about territory and there are two that definitely rule the roost."
Cat's novel 'Briefly Yours' will be published on the 28 March, which intentionally is also Respect Your Cat Day. "The book is certainly unique and is a concept that has never been done before," Cat explained.
"It is a mixture of my memoirs, non-fiction elements, erotica and a lot about cats as well. You do have to be an animal lover to understand it though and if you're not then it won't be for you.
"It's real, honest, with no lies and might come across as quite heavy for some. I deal with the good and the bad in life and the people I've met along the way - some have been quite heavy handed and some have been so lovely they want to spoil you, it's both sides of the coin."
Cat regularly updates her social media posts and stories in order to raise awareness about looking after and rescuing cats.
