A STARVING cat who was found scavenging from scraps and covered in oil is being nursed back to health by a Halesowen pet rescue.

Bigmac the cat was given his name as he was found scavenging from McDonald's leftovers in Wallace Road, Oldbury on Sunday April 7.

He was discovered by Pepper's Pet Rescue volunteer Holly-Marie Ruston, aged 14, who took the bedraggled stray to the family-run rescue on the Lodgefield Estate.

The not-for-profit centre was started last year by Sophie and Andrew Pepper, who are both nurses, while they were at home as their three-year-old son Toby recovered from surgery to a cyst on his brain.

Sophie, who runs Pepper's from her home with a team of volunteers, said she is desperately hoping Bigmac will survive and go on to find a loving home.

The 31-year-old mum-of-two said: "Holly found him with his head inside a McDonald's bag scavenging.

"He was covered in oil probably from sleeping under cars and trying to keep warm.

"We braved it and bathed him, the amount of dirt that came off him was shocking!

"The water was black.

"It also showed even more clearly just how skinny he is. He is skeletal.

"He was so well behaved and was even purring when I was shampooing him. He's a proper little cuddle monster.

"Now to feed this boy up gradually and bring him back to health."

Sophie said Bigmac has been taken to Manor Way Vets and was not micro-chipped. She said although he looks old, he is only around two, which the vet can tell from the condition of his teeth.

She said he must have been a pet at one point because he is neutered.

Sophie expects Bigmac will run up a considerable vets bill as he has been taking a probiotic paste as at the moment any food he eats passes straight through him.

He can't have any vaccinations until his tummy has settled and he has reached a decent weight.

Anyone who wants to donate towards Big Mac's vets bills can e mail pepperspetrescue@hotmail.com and mark as ‘Bigmac.’

The centre - which has a Facebook page - has an array of pets needing homes.

All animals are vet checked and cats are vaccinated, microchipped, neutered, de flead and wormed. Home checks are carried out and new owners sign an adoption agreement that states should the animal need rehoming again, they come back to Peppers.