Cat Found Hiding in London DIY Store Adopted Before Christmas

A stray cat discovered sheltering within a London DIY store has successfully found a new home ahead of Christmas. The feline, named Leyland after the retail outlet where it was located, was transported to Blue Cross’s rehoming centre in Burford, Oxfordshire, which then arranged its permanent adoption in Witney. The six-year-old cat successfully avoided detection by store employees for several weeks until its eventual capture and transfer to the animal hospital of a local pet charity. His new owner reported that he was “settling in really well” and “asking for lots of fuss and cuddles”. Paul Kingsnorth, the team leader at the Leyland store in Hammersmith, referred to Leyland as “a type of cat burglar in a sense”. “We couldn’t work out why the alarm system kept getting triggered but then we looked on CCTV and saw him – he enjoyed taking a wander around the store around 3am before hiding himself away.” “We don’t know when he got in or how but he must have come in through the front door as there is no other entrance.” Mr. Kingsnorth further stated that the cat “was happily purring” when the charity assisted in its retrieval from one of the store’s units. “…so obviously had enjoyed his stay in our shop,” he added. Elisha Webber, an animal welfare assistant at Blue Cross in Burford, expressed that they were “so happy” to have secured a new residence for the “sweet boy.” His new owner, Andrea, commented that he was “starting to show himself to have a cheeky character.” “Leyland is settling in really well, gaining confidence daily and asking for lots of fuss and cuddles.” “We were drawn to his profile and handsome photo on the Blue Cross website and knew we would be a great match. He is proving to be a great addition to our family and we’re looking forward to making his first Christmas with us special.” BBC Oxfordshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external sites. Details on their approach to external linking are available.