Meet Felix & Bolt: The Huddersfield Station Cats

Felix and Bolt are not your average house cats. This pair of kitties might be pretty, but they were born to work! Together they preside over the the famous Huddersfield railway station in Yorkshire, England. It started out with Felix, a gorgeous long-haired tuxedo cat, but just last year she was joined by younger Bolt, a strapping black kitty.

Born on May 17, 2011, Felix came to live at the station when she was just nine weeks of age. Her Facebook page reports that she came from a loving family, but despite all the love she could want, she had an independent streak to her and a desire to be a working cat. Once at the station, her new colleagues named her Felix thinking that she was actually a he. But after an initial trip the vet confirmed her gender, they decided to heck with it and kept the name that she was already used to and fond of. 

Felix’s presence was quickly admired and appreciated from her very first day at the station, back in 2011. She quickly garnered attention and fans from all those who made their way through the station daily. But then, in July 2015, her star rose elsewhere in the world when commuter Mark Allan created a Facebook page in her honor.

And with her high-vis vest which deems her the “Senior Pest Controller,” it’s hard not to think she’s absolutely adorable and photo-worthy. Within two years time, there was a book deal in the works for this cat.

She was clearly a star on the Internet when she wasn’t busy being a star on the platform.

They even made a cat flap for her to easily make her way back and forth from the ticket barrier, too!

Station manager Andy Croughan told The Sun about his experience with writer Kate Moore, author of 2017’s Felix the Railway Cat (as well as the 2019 sequel, Full Steam Ahead, Felix: Adventures of a famous station cat and her kitten apprentice): 

“Kate interviewed us all for about three hours. She came on night shifts to see Felix in her element—she comes alive at night.”

Following the debut of the first book, Felix was a truly in-demand feline and worthy of all the praise she received. Soon after, TV crews and interviews were arranged for those who wanted to see her in action and get a chance to meet the station cat who had quickly won the hearts of many. All of the proceeds from the sale of the first book went to Prostate Cancer UK, and Felix continues to lend her fame to other notable causes and charities. She’s a cat that works hard—and cares, too!

BBC News reports that Felix is “said to be ‘a natural’ at chasing pigeons from the platforms.” But as good as she may be at impressing the masses and culling the pests, she needed a sidekick. Enter Bolt, a cool black mini panther who stepped right in as her righthand cat and apprentice. The sight of the two are loved by many on the Facebook page, as well as by commuters who frequent the station.

Can’t get enough of Felix and Bolt? Keep up with the cats who are hard at work on their Facebook page here. And don’t forget to visit their website to learn more about them—and also their wall calendar!

All Images Courtesy of Felix and Bolt – The Huddersfield Station Cats on Facebook

Want to read about another cool cat who has a Facebook page dedicated just to them with tens of thousands of fans? Read about Mittens, a gregarious ginger cat that’s won the hearts of an entire city in New Zealand, here on cattitudedaily.com.

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