JUMPING up on tables, chasing bees and catching flies - anyone watching Dobby would find it hard to believe that he is blind.

“He sits in the window and looks out and catches flies. In summer he chases bees and wasps,” says Vicky Goss, who welcomed Dobby into her Saltaire home in her role as a foster carer for Yorkshire Cat Rescue (YCR).

Other than occasionally bumping into doors you would not know that he is blind. “Dobby doesn’t like anything being moved or anything different in the house such as the Christmas tree,” says Vicky. “It usually takes him a couple of days to get used to it.”

The two-year-old cat was one of a number in a multi-cat household whose owner was willing to hand over to the rescue centre.

Two of them - Dobby and his brother Bandit - were blind, possibly due to an infection or, a more likely cause, as an effect of cat flu through not being vaccinated as a kitten.

“They look similar but are very different characters,” says Vicky, who decided to keep Dobby after he settled down in her home. Bandit was also permanently adopted by a family in Todmorden.

Both are very affectionate. “Dobby demands cuddles - he sits on my laptop, puts his paws on my shoulders and snuggles in.”

The characterful cat instinctively knows if Vicky or her daughter, Milly is upset. “He will come to sit with you,” says Vicky.

Vicky and Milly are regular fosterers. for the charity. Vicky, nine, loves all their feline lodgers. “She always asks: ‘Can we keep this one? If I said yes every time we would end up with almost 50 cats.”

“Dobby is incredible with the newcomers and especially loves kittens. He loves to look after them, clean them and show them the ropes. He is such a caring boy - we call him uncle Dobby when he’s doing his ‘mum’ bit,” says Vicky.

“Some cats we bond with more than others but we love them all and we always cry when we have to take them back to be adopted - but we know they are going to good homes.

“We sometimes get updated on them, which is always really lovely. I always say it’s fine to pass on our contact details to the new owners in case they want to know anything and to keep in touch.

“Yorkshire cat rescue has always been amazing at the end of the phone or email, providing all that we have ever needed to take care of whoever is with us - food, litter, litter boxes, flea treatments and so on.”

She has fostered two cats at a time.

Laughs Vicky: “We are resigned to the fact that we are going to become crazy cat ladies.”

She adds: “We have got so much out of our fostering experience, not just our boy Dobby - every cat is different and they all come with different needs whether they are very skinny and need feeding and loving, or bravery training to make them comfortable around people, or kittens that need socialising.

“They all come with new challenges and loads of love to give and it is so incredibly rewarding.

“Dobby loves it all so much - he hates it when we don’t have anyone to look after, especially kittens.”

Dobby and Bandit were reunited at Christmas, when Bandit stayed at Vicky’s home with his brother.

*Yorkshire Cat Rescue, Lower Pierce Road, Cross Road, Keighley BD22 9AQ.

*yorkshirecatrescue.org; 01535 647184; mail@yorkshirecatrescue.org