Thousands of cats will spend Christmas in shelters or foster care.
Cats Protection has adopted a 12 Strays of Christmas theme as part of its winter campaign to draw attention to the many cats in temporary care who need permanent homes.
Daniel Warren-Cummings, central behaviour officer at Cats Protection, said: "Christmas is a time to reflect on the past year as well as celebrate the joy in our own families.
"In a year, our teams have taken in more than 26,000 cats who have been left behind by life, so we’re asking people to think about what they can do to make life better for cats like these.
"Because life is better with cats."
Among the cats featured are nine-week-old kittens Rainbow and Storm, who arrived at the charity's Scotland centre after being found as strays on a farm.
Because they were so young, they couldn’t groom themselves properly and needed daily cleaning as they were often quite messy.
Over time the cats have begun to improve, but they still some occasional help.
Despite their challenging circumstances, the kittens are very friendly, as they frequently rush for cuddles when visitors come to their pen, and love a chance to climb into someone's lap.
Though they are not ready to be homed just yet, once they are, the charity says they will make a great pet for any home.
Described as both "confident and affectionate", their brave nature means they would fit into any home, including families with dogs.
Cats Protection says these kittens are among the "lucky" ones, with nearly 5100 stray cats admitted over the past year, including around 350 in Scotland.
Daniel Warren-Cummings, central behaviour officer at Cats Protection, said: "These cats can't know why they've been discarded by families they thought cared, can’t tell us how they feel about being abandoned.
"And they can’t feel hope for a better life to come.
"But we can be there for them.
"We can listen and show we care until the tough times pass, and we can be there to speak up for them."
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Cats Protection is encouraging the public to support its winter campaign, which aims to raise funds and awareness for stray and abandoned cats in urgent need.
However, the charity is reminding potential adopters that caring for a cat is a long-term commitment, with ongoing costs for food, litter, veterinary care, and occasional pet sitting.
To find out more about adoption or to support the campaign, visit the charity's website or call 01417793347.
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