Athletic Sid’s jaw-dropping leaping skills helps win an Alternative Cat Award

Sid, a seven-year-old cat from Baldock, has won the Mischievous Moggy category in Cats Protection’s Alternative Cat Awards, thanks to his athletic antics.

Sid’s winning video – showing him effortlessly leaping up a bannister – was chosen by celebrity judges, ex-England goalkeeper David Seaman and his wife, Dancing on Ice Star Frankie Seaman. The category celebrated cats with interesting and playful behaviours that have performed challenges or been a source of entertainment during lockdown.

Sid beat off stiff competition from his other category finalists – three-year-old Chukk, from Camden, whose video showed him performing tricks to camera, and 10-month-old Stardust, from Thurrock, who was filmed cautiously considering whether or not he should make a daredevil jump.

Owner Philippa Beck-Evans, said: “Sid is the epitome of a mischievous moggy. During lockdown he kept us entertained, dipping his paw into a birthday cake, opening a bag of pasta and batting the pieces across the floor, and jumping all the way up the bannisters. He made lots of appearances on Zoom while we were working from home, and is such a loveable character.”

Judge Frankie Seaman said: “David and I were incredibly impressed by Sid’s agility! Cats like Sid invariably surprise us with their quirky and unique ways of doing things and that’s one of the reasons why we love them so much!”

Cats Protection ran the competition – sponsored by its long-term corporate partner PURINA® – in place of its annual National Cat Awards which was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The charity asked owners to post videos of cats who had made an outstanding contribution to their life this year in five categories, each judged by a different celebrity, and had over 500 entries.

The public will now have their chance to crown the overall winner – the ‘People’s Purrfect Choice’ – by logging onto www.cats.org.uk/aca and voting for their favourite. Cat-loving comedian Bob Mortimer will officially open the voting from 4pm on Thursday 17 September. The public has until Sunday 20 September to choose which of the five categories winners deserves the overall title. Bob will then announce the top cat on Wednesday 24 September. Along with the title, the winning cat’s owner will be invited to attend the National Cat Awards at London’s Savoy on 5 August 2021.

The other categories were:

#PurinaPurrfectTeamwork – Celebrating the bond between cats and their owners who were working or studying during the lockdown period – judged by celebrity beauty expert and TV presenter Gina Akers.
#SeniorKitizen – Mature cats aged 11 years and above – judged by radio presenter Justine Greene
#PurrfectlyImperfect – Celebrating cats living happy, healthy lives with a disability, health issue or superficial aesthetic deformity – judged by comedian and writer Jake Lambert
#BestNewcomer – Cats adopted from an animal rescue organisation in 2020 – judged by dance choreographer and ex-Strictly judge Arlene Phillips