RIP Railway Cat Felix: Death of Huddersfield's Senior Pest Controller Saddens Thousands of Fans

Huddersfield railway station's cat Felix sadly died at 12. The TransPennine Express (TPE), the British train operating company managing the Huddersfield Station in West Yorkshire, confirmed this on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

The official Facebook page of Felix and Bolt (another railway cat) also disclosed the death of Felix. It said that a popular furry senior pest controller died peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 4.

The Facebook page further stated that Felix died in her sleep while in the loving comfort of Jacqui Cox (Station Team Leader) and Angie Hunter (Station Manager).

RIP Huddersfield's Railway Cat Felix

According to the official press release of TPE, Felix was humanely put to sleep (euthanized) after a local vet discovered that she had tumors, which led to medical complications.

BBC News reported that Felix was recruited by the Huddersfield train station back in 2011. She became popular after a passenger created a social media website for her, which was able to raise over $302,000 (£240,000) for charity.

When Felix was still alive, British train passengers could see her sprawling platforms to find rats and mice; she was even wearing a name badge and a high-vis vest to show her position as a senior pest controller.

In 2019, the beloved cat was able to get an apprentice; Bolt. Together, they became more popular and loved by so many people. The two train station cats were also featured in two Sunday Times bestselling books.

On Facebook, tens of thousands of fans were heartbroken by the sudden death of Felix.

"I am so so sorry for your loss, I just can't believe it. Run free beautiful girl, you were loved by so many people and raised so much money for good causes," said a Facebook user.

"You supported Felix who carried us through good times and difficult times over the years and brought so much comfort and joy to us all," added another netizen.

What Felix's Fans Can Do

Felix was loved by many Britons not just because she was a cat. But, because of her contributions when it comes to charity and how she puts a smile on people's faces during rough days.

However, TPE asked the public to allow the Huddersfield Station's staff, especially those who were close to the cat, to have their period of mourning.

The train operating company asked fans to refrain from visiting the station. Instead, they can leave their expressions of sympathy online via the official Facebook page of Felix and Bolt.

TPE confirmed that a fitting memorial will be arranged soon. Aside from this, the British train operator warned the public to avoid donating to any fundraisers claiming to honor Felix since they can't guarantee that the proceeds will go towards a Felix-approved charity.