The Free Press broke the remarkable story of Tabitha last November after she survived a 44-day ordeal at her home in Barmston.

Now she has been shortlisted in the Rescue Cat Awards 2008 and is one of four cats in the Most Incredible Story category.

If she wins that, she is in with a chance of winning the overall cat of the year title.

Awards organiser Julie Sharp said: “It wasn’t an easy task for us to select just four finalists but Tabitha deserves her place for her sheer will to survive and fighting spirit in alerting her owner to her situation.”

Tabitha’s owner Jessie Sculpher adopted her from the local RSPCA branch but just three days later she vanished.

Despite fearing the worst, she emerged six weeks later, dehydrated and frail, but eventually made a full recovery.

She had been stuck at the back of a bathroom cupboard.

Miss Sculpher heard her scratching at 4 o’clock one morning and managed to drag her to freedom.

“Tabitha was extremely brave and courageous to come through her ordeal and I hope her incredible story gets its reward on August 1,” said Miss Sculpher.

Readers of the Sunday People’s Take It Easy magazine will vote for the winners and the award ceremony takes place at the O2 Arena in London.