EVEN for a nation of animal lovers, Sarah Walker seems to have an uncanny connection to her pet cat.For it appears that every time the 35-year-old gets ill, her cat suffers a similar fate.

EVEN for a nation of animal lovers, Sarah Walker seems to have an uncanny connection to her pet cat.

For it appears that every time the 35-year-old gets ill, her cat suffers a similar fate.

The strange events began five years ago, just a month after Sarah broke her leg after a motorcycle accident. One day Ebony did not come home as normal and was found barely conscious lying by a bin.

Sarah, from Saxmundham, said: "We think he was hit by a car and just dumped by the bin. He was so seriously hurt, the vet had to amputate his right hind leg."

Then a couple of years later Sarah started getting pain in the back of her mouth and was advised to have her wisdom teeth extracted. Shortly after the operation, Ebony contracted gum disease and had to have all his teeth out.

Last month 12-year-old Ebony had an eye removed after an ulcer on it failed to heal – and by coincidence Sarah went into hospital last Wednesday to have an operation to correct a squint in her eye.

"After so many strange coincidences, people are starting to wonder why we have suffered such similar problems. I haven't got an answer," said Sarah.

"But Ebony is such a happy cat and I think that that is amazing considering all that he has been through. He has shown tremendous courage to fight back in the face of adversity."