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.

© Courtesy of Fiona Callow/British Broadcasting Corporation
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.”

© Courtesy of Fiona Callow/British Broadcasting Corporation
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.

© Pictures Colour Library/Alamy
Two of Grosmont Station’s three kittens pose for the camera.