Huddersfield station cat Felix goes global

  • Published
Felix the catImage source, Felix the Huddersfield Station Cat
Image caption,
Felix was given a name tag and a high-visibility jacket after becoming Senior Pest Controller at the station

A newly promoted train station cat has become a media sensation after her career advancements were followed from around the globe.

Felix has been the resident pet at Huddersfield railway station in West Yorkshire since 2011, when she was brought in to catch mice.

She has now been given a high-vis vest and made Senior Pest Controller.

A cat flap has also been built at the ticket barrier to allow her platform access.

Felix's success has been covered by newspapers in Taiwan, the Netherlands and Hong Kong.

The story saw a surge in popularity after the Huddersfield Examiner pounced on Felix's "purr-motion".

At the time of writing, a page for Felix has amassed over 20,000 'likes' on Facebook.

Image source, Felix the Huddersfield Station Cat
Image caption,
The cat is said to be 'a natural' at chasing pigeons from the platforms
Image source, Felix the Huddersfield Station Cat
Image caption,
The station installed a cat flap to allow Felix though the ticket barrier to the platforms

A First TransPennine Express spokesman said: "Felix came to the station when she was nine weeks old five years ago.

"We haven't kept a mice tally, but we think she's caught three recently."

The station said the cat was also a "natural" at chasing off pigeons on the station's platforms.

Image source, Felix the Huddersfield Station Cat
Image caption,
Felix has been the resident pet at Huddersfield railway station since 2011

Felix is not the first "station cat" to find global fame - Tama, a stray which was made a station master in western Japan, was credited with turning a loss-making railway company around thanks to the number of tourists it attracted.

After Tama's death last June, thousands of people attended a Shinto-style funeral where the cat was elevated to the status of a goddess.

Image source, TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images
Image caption,
Tama was credited with turning around the fortunes of a loss-making railway company

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