A heart-broken owner is appealing to animal lovers in St Albans after her three-legged cat has gone missing.

Black cat Lou, four, went missing from Pinewood Close, St Albans on Friday, May 5.

His left hind leg was amputated after a road accident and because of this stayed close to home.

Sophie Stephens, 43, adopted Lou and his sister Nala four years ago after the RSCPA found them abandoned in a garden when they were four months old.

Tragically Nala was killed by a car three years ago and Miss Stephens found her lying in the road outside her home on her daughter Izzy’s birthday.

He does not wear a collar but has been microchipped.

Miss Stephens, 43 said: “Everybody has been amazing, people of St Albans are clearly animal lovers as we have had so much support.

“I don’t think that he has been run over as if someone didn’t care I would have found him on the road, and if they did he would have been taken to a vets.

“He’s been through a lot already which is why I think he must have another life in him.

We cannot have gone through all of this for nothing.”

Lou lost his leg after also being caught in a road accident about 18 months ago.

The family tried nursing him at home, but his leg needed to be removed to ensure his survival.

“I would do anything to get him home. We are so close to him because after his accident we tried nursing him.

“We do not have a feeling that he is gone. In a way the three-legged thing may work out for us in this instance as he is so recognisable.

“Either he has been scared out of his territory or something awful has happened to him.”

Although he had one leg amputated, Lou can still drag himself over fences and hunt, so may be able to feed himself.

Ms Stephens believes it unlikely that he would have left the area willingly due to his nervous disposition.

Call St Albans Cats Protection on 0345 371 2064 or Village Vet, Cayton, Hatfield Road with information.