Bruno, a 10-year-old black domestic shorthair cat, came to the rescue of Steffi, a severely anaemic kitten, whose life was in danger after she was diagnosed with the condition.

Flintshire rescue worker Angie Cook, who looks after Bruno, said: "Steffi was adopted from us with her sister Lily as a little kitten, and their new owner took them to the vets for a check-up, because Steffi was very lethargic.

"They found out she was massively anaemic, due to a parasite in her red blood cells, and they needed a big, healthy cat for the blood transfusion, so we offered Bruno and another one of our rescue cats, Sooty."

Brave Bruno, who has lived at North Clwyd Animal Rescue, Trelogan, Flintshire since August, sat patiently for 20 minutes while blood was taken from his jugular vein by workers at Village Vets, Buckley.

Kerisa Hughes, head veterinary nurse, said: "Blood transfusions are a very uncommon procedure, especially in cats."

Angie said: "Bruno is absolutely fine now and Steffi is much better.

The vets are hoping they will be able to cure her condition, because since the transfusion her red blood cell levels have stayed normal.

"Lily has also been taken to the vets since, because she has been off her food, but we are hoping she is healthy and has just been missing Steffi."

But the success of Steffi's recovery has been tainted slightly for staff at the centre, after vets discovered that Sooty, who was also ready to give blood, has feline leukaemia, a serious, life-limiting condition.

Angie added: "It's a real shame. Sooty is a lovely cat, and he's still got a few years left in him yet, but he'll need to be rehomed with someone who has no other cats, in case he passes the disease on."

Heroic Bruno, who was taken in by the centre in August when his previous owners moved house, is looking for a new home of his own. If you can help, visit www.ncar.org.uk.