An animal charity facing a £2,000 vets bill has been stunned at the giving response to its appeal to help Lanny the cat.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Lanny the cat arrived at FAITH with terribly infected ears. He needs to have both removed and an appeal has been launched to pay for the surgery Picture: FAITHLanny the cat arrived at FAITH with terribly infected ears. He needs to have both removed and an appeal has been launched to pay for the surgery Picture: FAITH (Image: FAITH)

Lanny arrived at FAITH animal rescue in Hickling as a stray with a badly infected ear that didn't respond to treatment.

As the infection spread to his other ear the only option was costly surgery which was beyond the pocket of the charity which has dozens of animals in its care.

To save the moggy described as "the most friendly cat you could imagine" an online donation page was launched.

Within days enough had been raised to fund the first operation to remove the most seriously affected ear, and now the centre is launching a final push to raise the last few hundred to do the second.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Lanny has had the first of two operations to remove his infected ears. The cat will be left completely deaf but surgeons have managed to save his lobe Picture: FAITHLanny has had the first of two operations to remove his infected ears. The cat will be left completely deaf but surgeons have managed to save his lobe Picture: FAITH (Image: FAITH)

Writing on the Go Fund Me page the centre hailed the "amazing response" of everyone who had donated.

The post said: "Thanks to your amazing generosity so far we have been able to get Lanny's first ear done, he's recovering well and looking good.

"He's had all the inner of his left ear removed now and luckily they have managed to save his ear lobe itself.

"Lanny would like to thank you for your help so far and would like to ask that you keep sharing his story and donating whatever you can so we can get his other ear treated in a month's time.

The surgery will leave Lanny completely deaf but will save his life and allow him to be re-homed once he has recovered.

The post said: "He can only have one ear treated at a time, the worst one first then the second a month later, so this will be a long process for him but ultimately worth it.

"These ear surgeries cost a staggering £1,000 each.

"We are a charity and although we do our best we struggle with large vet bills like this on top of the day to day running costs of the rescue.

"Believe it or not through all this pain and misery Lanny is still the most friendly cat you could imagine."

Jacky Young, chief animal welfare officer at FAITH, said: "He was crying his eyes out all the time. It was horrendous."

But the cat, who was named Lanny after Lancaster Road in Stalham where he was found by a concerned member of the public, was much better now, she said.

To donate to the appeal click the link here.