AN overlooked senior “kitty-zen” has become the star of a charity Christmas campaign.

Sixteen-year-old Kozal is featured in a specially created animation for Cats Protection.

The ginger moggy spent almost seven months at the charity’s rehoming centre in Chelwood Gate, near Lewes, waiting for a new family to be found.

He was constantly passed over in favour of other cats and staff feared he would never get a home.

The charity said that although Kozal was elderly and had arthritis, he had no other health problems.

He was also loving and friendly but people were put off by his age and condition.

They felt people were put off by his age and condition.

But when Kozal’s plight was featured in The Argus, kind-hearted Jill Cash from Hove came forward to help.

The video shows Kozal becoming slowly more dejected as he is overlooked until someone finally comes along and adopts him.

Ms Cash said: “We adopted Kozal because he had that forlorn look on his face and we just wanted to give him a warm safe place to spend his OAP years.

“He settled in right away and made himself at home.

“He loves to sit in front of our French doors and watch the birds.

“He is a real feisty character and we are starting to recognise the different miaows he gives us.

“Kozal now has all four paws well and truly under the table, eating us out of house and home.

“We no longer use an alarm clock as he decides when we get up and serve breakfast.

“I’m so glad to have been able to give Kozal a lovely retirement home and I would thoroughly recommend giving an older cat a chance.

“They have lots to offer.

“You’ll have adopted a cat that might have been overlooked for many months before finding its forever home.”

Cats Protection’s adoption centre deputy manager, Tania Marsh said staff were delighted at the outcome for Kozal.

She said: “Our staff and volunteers work hard to make every cat’s time with us as comfortable and happy as possible.

“However, it is no substitute for a real home.

“We’re so glad Kozal has been adopted, although sadly we have many more cats like him who are frequently overlooked in favour of younger cats and kittens.

“We’d love to hear from anyone who is interested in offering an unwanted cat a home of their own.”

The video of Kozal’s story has received almost 700,000 views online via Facebook and YouTube.

Anyone interested in offering a cat a new home can get more information at cats.org.uk/find-a-cat