Yellow Ceramic Cat

I have acquired this rather strange object. The yellow cat is ceramic. But I haven't a clue what it's meant to be!  There's an ALMOST identical black cat on eBay made by Shelley, but I can't see a backstamp on this one as the back is covered by the screw part. Any ideas please?

Looks like a pretty generic English pottery cat on an ashtray from the 1930's but more likely the 1950's. I guess the design would have started out as a stand alone figure possibly by Shelly. But the lack of definition and thick glaze would suggest it was made from a mold that had seen better days. Then sold to whoever made the metal part to be assembled for sale.  

As the production in the 1940's and very early 1950's was dominated by the 2nd world war and rationing. With pretty much everything you can think of you have the choice of it being made before 1937 or after 1952. This looks to be after 1952. The quality isn't great and the ashtray aspect of it means many won't like it (sorry).

Oh that's ok Mordeep, I wasn't thinking of it money terms. I bought a job lot of black cat crested ware and it came along with them. I thought it might have been advertising something. Thanks for replying:-)

Keele street pottery used that yellow.

Thanks Denbydump. Did they also make the ceramic Babysham bambi, I wonder, as I thought it was the same colour as that.

I think they were Beswick.
But the Sooty egg cups were KSP,