A cat found with pink fur and found by the RSPCA was dyed pink by her owner who wanted its fur to match her hair. Defiant Natasha Gregory said she was proud of her actions - and would even do it again.
The 22-year-old mother-of-two admitted using food colouring to turn the short-haired cat's fur a vivid shade of pink.
The fluorescent feline, named Oi! Kitty, is now so bright that she glows in the dark.
She told the Daily Mail: "It's my favourite colour, I just love it."
"I've dyed my own hair pink and I adore wearing pink clothes. Turning Oi! Kitty pink just seemed like a good idea."
Oi! Kitty's shocking appearance sparked an RSPCA investigation after she was found roaming in a back garden.
A nationwide appeal was launched to find the person responsible for dyeing her white fur, with animal welfare officers believing it was a sick prank.
But after seeing the widespread media coverage, Natasha contacted officials to claim back her pet, which had gone missing days before.
The self-described 'animal lover' who lives with her boyfriend of five years Michael Dennis, along with his daughter and their own two children, then confessed to dyeing the cat pink.
"I read the instructions on the bottle of food colouring and there was nothing to say that it was harmful to humans or animals. We eat the food the dye is used on, so I knew it wasn't toxic.
"I just poured some of the liquid over my hands and robbed them together and then over the cat. I was careful to avoid her face and eyes though.
"She didn't seem to mind and I think she looked lovely.
"I have contacted the RSPCA to get her back and the lady I spoke to said she didn't think it would be a problem. But I'm going to have to wait until they go back to work today."
Despite being branded cruel by vet Penny Gillespie, who has been caring for the cat since she was found in a back garden, Natasha Gregory said she doesn't regret doing it.
"People have made this massive cruelty thing out of just food colouring. People do it to dogs. You often see it with dogs on TV so what's the difference with a cat?
"I would never hurt an animal. It's just food colourant. I would never put proper dye on an animal but I know food colourant is alright."
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