Former X Factor Malta judge Alexandra Alden is making a public appeal for help to find her pet cat Jimi, who she says was given away without her knowledge. 

The singer-songwriter, who is based in Rotterdam, said that she previously shared custody of Jimi with her former partner, but they split at the beginning of the year.

Alden left the house that they shared but the couple argued over who should have custody of the cat, whom she "loved and cared for deeply".

She later discovered that the cat had been given to someone else after she found an advert on a Dutch e-commerce website.

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Alden

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Alden

While she has managed to acquire Jimi's chip number and part of the postcode of his new home in Rotterdam, she hopes that spreading the word will help her reunite with the little orange cat. 

Alden said that she deeply regrets not taking Jimi when she had the chance.

Photo courtesy of Alexandra Alden

Alden said the experience has been a good lesson to remember to lean on your support network when you're struggling. She also said that it's important to take care of mental health, saying that reaching out to the Richmond Foundation when she needed to was "very helpful".