Purr-fect for the Job

Three kittens are working as night patrol officers at a train station in England—and they couldn’t be cuter.

Simon Wall, Grosmont Station’s shed shop supervisor, holds one of the three kittens that live and work at the station.

A railway station in the United Kingdom has some new security experts, and they couldn’t be cuter.

Three kittens named Titch, Clinker, and Ash live and work as shed cats at Grosmont Station in Grosmont, North Yorkshire, England. Their main task, as “night patrol officers,” is to keep the rodent population under control. But it’s in the other part of their job, making people smile, that they really excel.

“They’re gorgeous kittens,” Simon Wall told the BBC. Wall works at the station. “We’ve always had shed cats, for many, many years, and they all do a great job for us, looking after the rodent population and being lovely for the public.”

Passengers stand on the platforms at Grosmont Station in England.

The kittens got their new job by chance. They were found in a nearby town, with no home or owner. Meanwhile, Grosmont Station’s shed cat had recently passed away. The station’s staff, which had been searching for a new shed cat, decided to take all three of the kittens.

Titch, Clinker, and Ash are still training for the job. They practice hunting by playing with toys or pouncing on acorns. Wall pointed out that the station is in the countryside, where rodents are common. But he says it’s unlikely the shed cats will face many rodents. As long as cats are around, mice usually stay away.

Two of Grosmont Station’s three kittens pose for the camera.

NEWS BREAK

Jane Goodall Has Died

Jane Goodall sits with a chimpanzee named Freud at Gombe National Park in Tanzania.

Famed animal researcher Dr. Jane Goodall has died at age 91. Best known for her observations of chimpanzees, Goodall also worked tirelessly for animal rights and conservation.

We’ll have more about Goodall’s remarkable life and career in the October 20 edition of In the News.

Did You Know?

In 2007, a Japanese train station that was in danger of closing made a cat named Tama its “stationmaster.” Tama’s popularity attracted tons of visitors to the station, helping to save it!

Tama the cat, seen here in 2008, helped save a train station in Japan.

Keeping Out of a Cat’s Clutches

Cats and mice don’t usually get along. Cats are hunters that can kill rodents—a skill they practice when they play with their toys. But many house cats never actually need to hunt because mice will often stay away from a building where a cat is living! How does a mouse know when there’s a cat nearby? The key is in the cat’s pee.

Scientists say mice have a surprising way to detect when a cat is around. It’s not the sight of two shiny cat’s eyes staring at them from across the room. In fact, mice can’t see very well. Instead, mice can smell a compound that exists in a cat’s urine. To them, this smell means, “Stay away.”

Just Like Your Cat!

Did you know that house cats are closely related to big cats such as tigers? House cats and tigers share many traits, including their hunting drive!

You can read more about tigers at Britannica.

Word of the Day

stalk

Part of speech:

verb

Definition:

: to follow (an animal or person that you are hunting or trying to capture) by moving slowly and quietly

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