Beloved supermarket cat

Here’s one for a cat who decided to be a supermarket’s greeter, or mascot, or just a guy who liked to hang around and see people smile. Which the customers at Morrison’s supermarket certainly did. This story “Brutus the supermarket cat honored” made us smile too.

photo by Dale Miles

Brutus began visiting a supermarket across the street from his home in Saltney, UK. He started visiting the site before the market was built in 2009, but once Morrison’s opened in 2011, he became a big part of the supermarket’s customer service. Shoppers not only got their groceries, they usually also left with a smile any time Brutus was lounging in shopping carts,   Or wandering in the aisles.

Brutus lounging on Morrison’s supermarket

Brutus checks on cat food supplies
                                                                                               photo by maxinekeira

As a kitten, Brutus was a stray living in the street. Until Claire Owens, a veterinarian nurse, met Brutus when he was brought to the Knutsfod, UK practice where she worked. “Brutus” Ms. Owens said “having been found being kicked about by some horrible kids in the street.” He was only six months old.
Since no one claimed him after seven days, Claire and husband Adam adopted him. A happy arrangement for all three. Brutus spent the next several years visiting Morrison’s supermarket.
On January, 2017, Brutus died from kidney disease. The staff at Morrison’s supermarket, and thousands of customers, were heartbroken. Especially effected were Claire and Adam Owens; they decided to honor Brutus, who provided so much joy to so many.
Claire and Adam set up a crowdfunding appeal and raised £1,000 ($1288.35) in less than 24 hours, which increased during the next serval months totaling to nearly £5000 ($6441.75). The Morrisons also contributed over £1,000 toward the memorial, which is a bronze sculpture of Brutus, made by Jane Robbins Sculpture Limited and Castle Fine Arts Foundry Ltd. The remaining funded money will be donated to local animal charities Chester Kitty Cat Rescue and Ark Angels Rescue.

“Brutus is finally finished!” Claire said. “This week I went to Liverpool to check out the almost finished masterpiece – all he needed was a bit of buffing in places to make his lighter patches show up and then the final coat of wax applied to make him shine.” She continued,
“When I saw him just before he was due to have the finishing touches applied, it was as if he was actually sitting there and it made me feel quite emotional. I miss him so much, we all do, and still can’t believe he’s not here anymore.”

photo by Dale Miles, taken around September last year

Claire added: “He’ll get a shiny head in no time after all the strokes he’s going to get! If it wasn’t for all the kind donations from not just his local fans, but fans from around the country and even some from around the world…his statue wouldn’t have been possible. So thank you all.”

information provided by Carmella De Lucia
Chesterchronical.co.uk