Surrey cameraman Daniel Humphreys is used to capturing stories through his lens, but he didn’t expect to become part of one when filming for the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. 

Daniel, of Woking, was working on a new advertising campaign at Cats Protection North West London Cat Centre, when he became charmed by his subject: a stray kitten named Bluebell.

“When I arrived at the centre in Harrow, I was unloading camera kit and noticed three volunteers completely smitten with a particular cat,’ he said. “At that stage I caught only a quick glimpse, but when I went in to film her properly, I completely understood why everyone had fallen for her. That cat was Bluebell.”

Seven-month-old Bluebell’s path to glory began on the streets of Edgware, where she was found distressed and alone, most likely lost or abandoned. After appeals failed to find an owner and a vet-check revealed the absence of a microchip, the grey-and-white kitten was taken in by the UK’s largest cat welfare charity.

Nicola Murray, Centre Manager, said: “As tiny as she was, nothing seemed to bother her. One of our volunteers named her Bluebell, inspired by her striking blue eyes.”

It was those arresting looks and calm temperament that led her to be picked as the face of the charity's summer marketing campaign (cats.org.uk/meetthecats) to showcase the unique personalities and individual stories of cats in the charity’s care. And what an inspired choice she was.

Of all cats acquired in the last 12 months, only 16% were adopted, Cats Protection reported in its CATS (Cats And Their Stats) Report 2025. As part of a drive to address this, the charity is inviting audiences to Meet Our Cats with a campaign to inspire people to adopt and discover the joy of being matched with their perfect cat companion. Cats like Bluebell.

Daniel knew that the shoot by Curious Productions for the agency Come the Glorious Day, would be a tough one, but not necessarily for the usual reasons.

“I knew that filming at a cat centre, resisting the temptation to come home with a cat was probably going to be the biggest challenge of the entire shoot,’ he said. “We’ve had our cat Mowgli for 14 years and, while our son often talks about how much he’d love another cat, it has always been filed firmly under ‘maybe one day’. That was before I met Bluebell.

“As well as being incredibly beautiful, she had this wonderfully affectionate, playful personality that instantly stood out. I sent a photo to my wife and from that point, I think we both knew the decision had already been made for us. Bluebell was coming home.”

Following the shoot, Daniel, his wife Amy, and their 10-year-old son Ted, officially adopted Bluebell. She has since swapped the camera lights for a comfy sofa in Surrey, where she has settled in with the family’s mature moggie, Mowgli.

“She has so much of that classic kitten energy and she’s incredibly affectionate; far more interested in physical contact than Mowgli ever was. Bluebell takes life to another level. 

“She always wants to be close, whether that’s curling up beside you, climbing onto your lap, or demanding attention the second you walk into the room. It genuinely feels like Bluebell was always supposed to be part of our family.”

Nicola added: "It was lovely to see Daniel fall in love with our little superstar, Bluebell. This heartwarming story shows that there’s a cat for everyone. We never know which cat will touch our hearts but we’re here to help potential owners find their right match and make these cherished connections.”

To meet more of the cats looking for homes and learn more about the charity’s campaign, visit cats.org.uk/meetthecats