While ticket officers are often on the lookout for passengers trying to skip fares, one attendant was taken by surprise when a cat made a solo journey by train. Tilly, a two-year-old cat from Weybridge, traveled 17.7 miles alone from Surrey to London Waterloo.
Michael Hardy, Tilly’s owner, said the adventurous feline is no stranger to exploring new places. After being adopted from the streets, Tilly had been found in various unexpected spots, including buses, a local school, and even behind a bar at a pub.
On the day of Tilly’s train adventure, Mr. Hardy was working in London when he received an unexpected call from a ticket office. The staff informed him that his cat had been found traveling alone. He quickly drove to the station to collect her. The journey would have taken Tilly up to 90 minutes.
“I was stunned,” Mr. Hardy said. “What the hell is my cat doing in Waterloo getting on trains and going for a ride?”
With the help of an Apple AirTag tracking device, Mr. Hardy and his girlfriend were able to track Tilly’s movements. “We didn’t know where she was, but the tag showed she was heading to Waterloo. The only way she could get there was by train,” he explained. “You could see her going from one stop to another on the map.”
To ensure Tilly’s safety, her owners have equipped her with a GPS tracker, a jingly silver bell, and a bright pink ID tag. This way, in case she wanders off again, they can quickly find her.
Tilly’s journey began when two young girls knocked on Mr. Hardy’s door with the cat, believing she was their pet. After unsuccessfully trying to find Tilly’s original owners, the couple decided to keep her, heeding the vet’s suggestion to adopt her.
Now, Tilly’s adventurous spirit continues to surprise her owners, and she’s made a name for herself as a cat with a thirst for travel.
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