Villagers invited to fuss over cat well-known at Derby Arms pub

The feline has made himself known around Rainford, and when he discovered the pub it became like his second home.

The 18-year-old black cat has become like “a part of the furniture” at the pub, Monkey is greeted and petted by regulars and fed treats.

Monkey’s owner, Helen Ashton, from Rainford, who has had him since he was a kitten, recently announced on Facebook that the senior cat was “slowing down”. And after being given the idea by a neighbour, invited people to treat and feed him at the Church Road pub to give him a send-off.

Monkey is well-known around Rainford (Image: Submitted)

“Everyone knows him in the village, so I thought I had better let them know so people can give him a big fuss,” said Helen.

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“He’s got a fan club and we just wanted to let people know and give them the chance to say goodbye to him.

“We wanted to make it nice for him. He’s not just our car, he’s the community’s cat.”

The Derby Arms, in Rainford (Image: Google Street View)

Helen said that during the Covid pandemic, with the pub closed Monkey became a “star of the village”, venturing across the road to the pharmacy and even tried to sneak into the nearby GP surgery.

Often mistakenly assumed to be a stray, Monkey was taken to a vets surgery in Eccleston just a couple of weeks ago by well-meaning strangers who saw him in the Derby Arms car park.

“He gets up to mischief and live up to his name!” added Helen.

Monkey (Image: Submitted)

The Derby Arms has allowed for some of Monkey’s treats to be put on the bar and villagers are invited to fuss over and feed him.

Inviting people to get involved, Helen posted on a community Facebook group: “Thank you to a kind neighbour for the idea, and The Derby Arms Rainford for letting us pop a few treats for Monkey on the bar. If you see him, feel free to fuss him and feed him. The diet’s out the window. He can eat what he likes!

“Let's give him a good send off. We won't let him suffer, but he's slowing down. He's everyone’s cat. Stop by and see him if you want to, and that includes coming to ours if you want to see him. You have all loved him, so you all deserve to spend time with him.”