A male tabby cat who was rescued in January is now looking for his second chance at happiness.

Six-year-old Stephen started his life on the streets of Macclesfield before he was picked up by an officer for the RSPCA.

He had several broken teeth, one missing tooth and conjunctivitis when he arrived at the RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital.

He had a dental operation to remove his three broken teeth and he was also neutered, vaccinated and microchipped so he could be ready to be rehomed.

Sadly, the vets found that Stephen's life on the streets meant he has FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus), most commonly seen in unneutered male cats who have likely been fighting for territory. The disease is spread between cats by biting and other bodily fluids but cannot be passed to humans.

This means Stephen will need a special kind of home.

Carmen Cole, branch rehoming co-ordinator at RSPCA Macclesfield, said: "Stephen has really been through the wars. He looked a little worse for wear when he first came into our care but is now a bright-eyed, happy and healthy boy.

"He must have got into some scrapes as a stray cat, but now he's put those days behind him and is a complete gentleman. He really does deserve to find his forever home.

"He is an affectionate and lovely cat but will need his new owner to gain his trust over time."

Cats with FIV have a weaker immune system in comparison to non-FIV positive cats.

FIV initially results in a short-lived illness which is often not noticed by a cat's owner. Cats then enter a stage of progressive immune system decline but many remain without symptoms of the disease for many years. Research indicates that FIV cats may have a similar life expectancy to uninfected cats and can lead relatively normal lives.

Whilst these cats may be prone to a variety of common diseases, there are no symptoms that are specific for FIV cats. An FIV positive cat may be more prone to chronic respiratory infections, skin problems, mouth inflammation and certain types of tumours but there is no definitive rule.

FIV cats need to be rehomed to a home with no other cats who they could pass the disease on to. It's also very important that they aren't allowed to roam and pass it on to other cats in the neighbourhood. The charity says Stephen would also benefit from being the only pet in the home.

Carmen added: "We are looking for a specific kind of home for our lovely Stephen. We'd like to rehome him either as an indoor cat with access to a large catio or to a home which has a safe and enclosed garden, such as fence rollers.

"As he has been an outdoor cat previously, he may find being solely indoors quite stressful, so we'd love to find a home for him where he can still go outside in a safe way."

If you think you can give Stephen a home, contact the RSPCA Macclesfield, South East Cheshire and Buxton branch, by emailing [email protected].