SOCIAL MEDIA users were left in stitches after a cat was spotted guarding the barriers at a railway station last week.
The four-year-old moggy known as Nala has become a cult celebrity around Stevenage, Hertfordshire and is known by locals to frequent different buildings.
Nala decided last week to take a day out at the local railway station and opted to make herself comfortable sitting on the ticket barrier.
The feline is so well-known that there has been a Facebook group set up to photograph the cat and let others know where she is currently roaming and Nala now has a GPS collar so her owner can track her movements.
Owner Natasha Ambler captured footage of the cat enjoying her day job as she checked tickets on behalf of Transport for London (TfL).
The hilarious clip shows Nala parched on the barriers leading into the railway station while onlookers bypass the gates – with some even struggling to pass by as Nala watches on.
Music can be heard playing the background as members of the public appear unfazed by the sly cat.
Further footage shows Nala wearing a large collar around her neck with a GPS tag and a pendant which reads: Nala.
To the left of Nala is a green arrow on the barrier, directing commuters to head through the barriers to the station as she ‘guards’ it vigilantly.
Owner Natasha took to social media yesterday to share the amusing footage, writing: “Stevenage station cat”.
The post received over 20,000 likes, and hundreds of comments as many social media users were quick to share their thoughts on the amusing post.
One person wrote: “I love how she’s normalised the situation so much that no one’s batting an eyelid.”
Another said: “On guard for people who don’t pay.”
A third commented: “New recruit for the British Transport Purr-lice.”
A fourth added: “Since the arrival of the cat the number of people jumping the barriers has reduced to zero. [She] sees all and knows all.”
Another joked: “10p off all travel tickets for a stroke of the cat’s head. 10 strokes is £1 off, and so on.”
A final commenter said: “Cats are now employed as ticket inspectors. Fare dodgers, beware.”
Speaking to co-owner Lewis Ames today, he said: “Nala, [was] named by [our] daughter Annabelle after her favourite TV show when she was a toddler, the Lion Guard, and was a rescue cat from the RSPCA alongside her brother Simba.
“Her antics include being rescued from a neighbour’s roof within the first few days of being let outside, to being crossing the A1 motorway and being picked up as much as 2 miles away from home.
“Nala’s adventures have captured the hearts of many in the community, more recently, Nala has discovered the train station where she has taken up the role of ’station cat’ – regularly sitting on the ticket barriers, on the newspaper stand or ticket machines.
“The Facebook page dedicated to Nala was established due to her remarkable popularity and the numerous photos shared by people who spotted her around town.
“This platform not only allowed us to keep the community updated on her escapades but also reassured concerned residents.”
