Suzy the Cat becomes a celebrity around Dorchester

Suzy, AKA Susie, is a 2 and three quarter year old cross-bred Siamese kitten has been causing mischief up and down Dorchester high street.

The curious kitten has been found to visit various locations around the town centre, and has gained a following, with her own Facebook page, Suzie’s travels in Dorchester.

The group has racked up nearly 600 followers at the time of writing, and is full of photos from the adventures of Suzy.

Businesses around the town have been known to leave their door open for the cat who has travelled to at least 32 different shops and restaurants down Trinity Street and South Street.  

Suzy has also been spotted joining in with choir practise at the Dorchester Baptist Church and has travelled as far as the Top O Town car park.

At an early age, Suzy lived in Upwey with her owners, married couple Michael and Linda Crow.

Michael, 81 and retired, said: “She has always been getting lost, when we were living in Upwey she was always causing trouble and getting lost and once got all the way to Portland.

When they moved to Weymouth Avenue in Dorchester to live with their daughter, Jenny Graves, her owners said Suzy was a nightmare as they received twice daily phone calls from Southill Vets as people were reporting the cat as lost.

“Even on holiday in Ibiza, we were called two to three times a day by the vets to say she’d ended up there,” Linda added.

Because of all the attention, a local resident reached out to the Crows' daughter Jenny Graves on Facebook saying they’d love to set up a group dedicated to the cute cat.

Jenny Graves, who works at Dorset County Hospital said: “I like how the whole town has got behind it, people come up to me at my work for the first time in seven years just to talk about her- it’s great!”

Linda, 77, said: “It’s nice because we get to see what she’s up to and feel great knowing she’s safe. When we went away it was great to see her loving life”

Jenny said that after the page was set up, more and more businesses were leaving their doors open.

“It’s almost become a competition to see who will snap her, or where she likes to go most,” she joked.

She has been spotted in Oxfam, Julia's House, Iceland and the Potting Shed, who have all snapped pictures with the friendly feline. 

Linda said: “Nobody feeds her, so at least she knows to come back home.”

Suzy has a brother, Waffles, who Jenny said has got bigger due to Suzy not being home so much. 

The lifestyle Suzy has become accustomed to could come to an end next year, as her owners are looking to move away to Hastings, Sussex.

“We haven’t told her yet,” Michael admitted.

“We’re not sure how she is going to take it given that she is used to the town centre, but we’ll be moving to a housing estate,” Linda added.

Michael joked that if there was a petition for Suzy to stay, they may consider halting her move, and leaving her in Jenny’s care.

Members of the Facebook group seem to have rallied behind the move, and are preparing a care package for her departure. 

Regaling past adventures, Michael said that once Suzy was found asleep in a babies’ cot, and other than cat treats, Suzy loves a rest.

Michael said: “It’s said that cats can sleep 20 hours a day, which I think is true about Suzy- but she really makes the most of the other four.

“She’s been kicked out of more establishments than a drunk,” he added.

Sally Reynolds, Manager of Oxfam in Dorchester said she had wondered into the shop a few weeks ago, and the volunteers took her to the vets as they thought she was lost, and the vet said ‘not her again.’

“She brightens up everyone's day, with people even coming in and asking about her- it’s so great for the town,” she said.

Jane Riglar, a member of staff at the Potting Shed said she had spent most of last week with Suzy and she was hiding among the seeds.

“Everyone loves seeing her and we’re going to miss her when she’s gone,” she said.

If you would like to keep up with the adventures of Suzy before she moves away, visit the Facebook group Suzie's travels in Dorchester.