Northern Rail launch online appeal to find owner of loco Leeds lapcat

The fictional train’s little-known feline namesake has also made a bit of a name for himself among commuters at Garforth Station, having appeared there around two months ago.

The loco lapcat, who squeezes through the east Leeds station’s cash desk every morning to be fed, has become something of a local celebrity among passengers and regularly sits by as they pick up their tickets every day.

Without a known home, the neutered ginger Tom turned up at the station near Christmas, prompting suggestions he may even have arrived on a train.

Supervisor Angie Thompson said: “It looks like somebody owned him, so whether he’s gone off as a stray or the owners have just left him, I don’t know – he’s just a platform cat. Thomas is just a character really, he’s there when I open up on a morning at 5.45am. He greets everybody and sits on their knees.”

Angie and a friend soon took Thomas, who is only thought to be just a year old, to a nearby vets, where he was de-wormed and de-flead before it was found that he had not been microchipped.

Northern Rail has launched an online appeal to locate Thomas’ owner or potentially find him a new home. If you can help, tweet @northernrailorg using the hashtag #tomcat.