Award-Winning School Cat Cilla Passes Away

The passing of an award-winning cat, cherished by children and instrumental in comforting anxious primary school students before examinations, has been announced. Cilla, a twelve-year-old feline residing at Outwoods Primary in Atherstone, Warwickshire, passed away on Thursday night, as confirmed by the school via X. The school’s post stated, “She was not in pain, but had a growth that could not be removed.” Known as Priscilla Outwoods in full, Cilla had accumulated nearly 26,000 followers on social media. Her journey with the school began approximately six years ago when she arrived on the premises as a hungry stray. In September, Cilla was honored with the National Cat Award’s Connected Cats accolade, recognizing her influence both on social media and within her local community. The domestic shorthair, who had multiple sleeping spots throughout the school, had supported Year 6 pupils before and after their Sats (Standard Assessment Tests). Head teacher Sally Taylor had previously described Cilla as highly intuitive, possessing a “calming” presence, and often moving freely between classrooms to interact with students. An update on Cilla’s official X account confirmed that 400 pupils were informed on Friday morning of the death of their “little princess.” The post added, “Our corridors, normally filled with laughter and meows are full of tears, thank you for loving her as much as we did.” It concluded, “She was a little cat who had a massive impact on us all, we will miss her but never forget her.”