Cats have long been employed as pest control in barns, churches, and warehouses. As we recently covered, you can even adopt specific working cats from shelters and rescues. But one place you may not expect to see them is your local train station…
At the Huddersfield Station in West Yorkshire, England, conductor cats have been a fixture for years. Though their primary duties are pest-related, they’re also immensely popular with passengers and internet fans. Let’s get to know Felix and Bolt!
Felix the Famous
Felix, a black and white cat with beautiful green eyes, rose to fame after being appointed Senior Pest Controller at the Huddersfield Station in West Yorkshire. Recruited in 2011 at just six weeks old, she quickly became well-known among commuters, especially after a passenger created a fan page on social media.
As part of her official duties, Felix helped raise over £200,000 for charity, sponsored a 5K fun run, appeared in charity calendars, and was even featured in multiple books. The first book, Felix the Railway Cat, features daring tales of Felix’s bravery and adventurous spirit, from comforting a runaway child to developing special friendships with specific commuters.
In 2019, Felix began training her apprentice, Bolt, a black cat known for his no-nonsense approach to pest control. A second book called Full Steam Ahead, Felix! came out in 2019 and featured Felix and her young apprentice. Sadly, Felix passed away at the age of 12 in December 2023.
Bolt’s Time to Shine
After Felix sadly passed away, Bolt took over the official role of Senior Pest Controller. In addition to his official pest control duties, Felix’s tenure included greeting passengers and being a social media star. His reign may have been brief, but he has been extremely popular online.
Just recently, in July 2025, Bolt finally took his own retirement. The station is undergoing major works, and to avoid the mess and confusion, he has been adopted by his “station mum,” Jacqui, and a feline friend named Buddy.
There’s no word yet on future feline pest control for the station, but we hope the cat hiring process starts again soon!
Other Train Station Cats
Bolt and Felix aren’t the only railway cats around. Just this past January, a train station in Japan appointed a calico cat named Gotama. Her official title is “Stationmaster,” and she even has an official work schedule posted on the train website. She is the newest of three feline stationmasters overseeing different Japanese train stations.
The first of these stationmasters was Tama, who was hired back in 2007 to greet passengers and attract new ridership for the train line. After she passed away in 2015, the station built her a shrine, called Tama Shrine. Her successors carry on her job and her name – they have names like Nitama (Tamma II), Yontama (Tama IV), and of course, Gotama (Tama V). What a legacy!
Images courtesy of Huddersfield Station Cats
