Owner dyed cat bright pink to match hair

SWINDON, England, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The British owner of a bright pink cat -- turned over to authorities after it was thrown over a fence -- said she dyed the animal to match her own hair.

Natasha Gregory, 22, of Swindon, England, said she dyed the cat's fur shortly before it went missing last week, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which took custody of the cat after a Swindon man said it was thrown over a fence into his yard, had previously sought answers about the feline's owner and the reason for the coloring.

Gregory, who is now trying to get her cat, named Oi! Kitty, back from the RSPCA, said pink is her favorite color, The Sun reported.

"Turning Oi! Kitty pink seemed like a good idea. I always wanted a pink animal -- a bit like my hair," she said.

She said the coloring was done with non-toxic food dye.

Penny Gillespie, a veterinary surgeon who is caring for Oi! Kitty, said the cat appears to be in good health.