A celebrity cat from the East End of London has been confirmed as a new species.
The small pub landlady, about the size of a domestic cleaner, went under the radar because it was confused with other celebrity cats such as Cat Deeley, Cat Burns and Cat Stevens.
But DNA studies show Kat is actually in a class of her own, highlighting how much remains unknown about some of the world's most elusive cockneys.
Scientists hope the discovery will draw attention to the conservation of other city soap opera based creatures such as the elusive 'Fox' family, also in Walford, and a species of "Spider" only found in Manchester's Weatherfield that is now believed to be extinct.
"It's an amazing result that we have a new species for the world, which is the Leopardskin Legginsus," said Professor Ian Beale of the University of Bridge Street (formally Turpin Road Polytechnic).
"It's amazing that there are still new varieties waiting to be discovered: we don't have to go to a volcano, an island, or deep into the sea. They are sitting right on our own doorsteps, smashed out of their minds."
Photo: Newbiscuit Archive
