Cats visit leaves kids feline fine!

Aug 22 2007 By Alison Dayani, Birmingham Mail

SCROLL down to the bottom of the story and click on the digital media screen to see exclusive footage of the cats meeting youngsters at the children's hospital.

YOUNGSTERS at Birmingham Children's Hospital looked like the cat that got the cream when they had a surprise visit from stars of a hit musical.

Actors from Cats took time out from their busy schedule at Birmingham Hippodrome to prowl the wards instead.

There were plenty of smiling faces as the colourful characters of Munkustrap, Victoria and Jellylorum brought some feline fun to the children.

"I have really enjoyed seeing them and it makes hospital less boring." Nine-year-old Mohammed Jahid, from Sparkhill, a pupil at Nelson Mandela School, said: "Seeing the cats has made my day."

Matthew Johnson, aged eight, from Rednal, who has a bowel condition, said: "I was called Matt the Cat in the football team, so that would be my cat name," said the pupil at St Columba's Catholic Primary School, in Rednal.

Patrick Turner, from Harborne, who suffers with Crohn's disease of the intestine, perked up instantly at the sight of the furry creatures on Ward Seven.

The bed-ridden 13-year-old said: "It is really good to see the cats, they are brilliant and don't look at all like people as their make-up is so clever.

"It has made my time in hospital so much better and is something I can tell my friends about."

Patrick's mum Ruth Turner, who saw the musical on Saturday, said: "It is so kind of them to do this.

"They are very talented singers and dancers and this visit has made a real difference to my son."

Nurses only let the cat out of the bag that patients were in store for the special treat when actors Dean Maynard, Laura Darkins and Rachel Ensor arrived yesterday afternoon.

Lucy Oliver, a junior sister on Ward Seven, said: "We get a lot of adolescents with long term illnesses like cystic fibrosis and diabetes who can be in hospital for quite a while, so having this sort of excitement gives them something to talk about for days."

The Andrew Lloyd Webber show Cats continues at Birmingham Hippodrome until September 8.