CATS are well known for unexpectedly bringing rodents home to their owners, but they rarely get into as much trouble with them as this unfortunate feline.

Stray cat Rosie was rescued and operated on by the RSPCA after an undigested rat was found blocking her stomach.

The white cat turned up at a home in Strensall with a hard and severely swollen stomach on December 2, forcing the concerned homeowner to call in the RSPCA.

RSPCA animal collection officer Leanne Honess-Heather scanned the cat and was surprised to find she was microchipped.

She said: "Rosie the cat had turned up on the caller’s doorstep soaked through and looking for shelter.

"When I scanned the cat for a microchip I was able to track down her owners and tell them what had happened.

"They explained that nine-year-old Rosie had run away five months earlier after being with them since she was a kitten."

Rosie's owners revealed she had not got on with their other cat and she refused to return home.

Leanne explained to Rosie’s owner that, although the cat looked bright and happy, her extended stomach was a cause for concern, and that she wanted a vet to examine her.

When Rosie was assessed by a vet at Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic, her stomach was solid and it was clear her condition was causing a lot of discomfort, and a scan showed a mass in her stomach.

The cat's previous owners decided it would be in Rosie's best interests to be re-homed because they feared she would runaway again if she was reunited with them.

Leanne added: "I spoke with the York branch of the RSPCA, who agreed to take Rosie in to their care and pay for the operation to be carried out.

"Thanks to their wonderful generosity and the fantastic skills of vet Ian Faux, Rosie is on the way to making a full recovery and will soon be available for adoption.”

To re-home an animal visit http://www.rspca-yorkhome.org.uk