Whether he is padding through the magnificent nave, warming himself next to a cozy radiator or curling up in his favorite basket in the gift shop, Louis the cat has become a beloved feature of Wells cathedral, but Louis has found himself in a bit of bother after a ginger tom answering his description was accused of a series of rather nasty attacks on dogs in the peaceful Somerset city.
The owner of one alleged canine victim said her pet had been targeted in Market Place, close to the cathedral.
“This dangerous, semi-feral cat pounced like a wild lion in the jungle onto my dog Millie’s head,” she said.
“It all happened really quickly. I pulled the lead backwards and went flying down the kerb into the gutter, and ended up in a heap in muddy rainwater, in the gulley in the market place. That cat has serious issues,” she said.
“Be aware — this ball of fluff is not as cute and cuddly as he looks. I’ve got a battered elbow, battered knee and a sore wrist,” added the owner, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Louis began living at the 12th-century cathedral a decade ago to keep any mice at bay.
He has become so popular he has even starred in a children’s book called Louis the Cathedral Cat and features in a range of merchandise, including clocks, coasters and wine-stoppers available in the gift shop.
Debbie Sheppard, who works at the Present Company in Market Place, saw the aftermath of the Millie incident — and spotted Louis stalking off looking “very subdued.”
“Louis likes to sleep in here and he had been in here on the day in question,” Sheppard said. “It was nearing the end of the day and so I put Louis outside so he didn’t get locked in here overnight. The next thing I heard was this hissing and when I looked outside Louis was walking up the street looking very subdued.”
Sheppard insisted Louis is a very nice, gentle animal.
“He’s a very sweet cat and I certainly don’t think he’s suddenly turned nasty,” she said.
The last time she saw Louis he was being stroked by children on their way to school — and was definitely not lashing out.
There have been at least two other attacks involving a ginger tom around the cathedral, but there is a chance that it could all be a case of mistaken identify.
“I’ve heard there is another ginger cat around at the moment and it’s quite possible that it’s him attacking dogs,” Sheppard said. “We don’t know for sure whether or not Louis was involved. Louis had definitely been in the shop just before the incident happened outside, but it could have been a different cat.”
A spokesperson for Wells Cathedral said that Louis could be a little distant, but had not been known to be aggressive.
“It’s difficult to say whether it was Louis, unfortunately,” she said. “While he can be rather aloof with our visitors, we know of at least two other ginger cats in the area who also enjoy strolling through the streets of Wells. Most importantly, we do hope the dog and her owner have recovered from the experience, which must have been a shock for them both.”
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