Twist in the tale for Parkland’s pet cat
Kevin the cat’s convoluted capers have been exposed.
The much-loved moggie has made himself at home at Palmerston North’s Parkland School, where he has inspired all sorts of artwork, a calendar and a brandnew mural.
He, thought to be she four or five years ago, but called Kevin anyway, has his favourite places in the library and on the cleaner’s trolley. He has a staff of willing feeders, and hundreds of adoring fans to stroke him.
But that’s not quite the whole truth about Kevin.
He is, in fact, Tigga, with a family of his own who had been desperately missing him and were overjoyed to be re-united with him after nearly six years, if only temporarily.
His true identity was revealed when one of the school mums, Caroline Munn, trained in the art of inserting microchips, decided to run a scan over him.
That led to a reunion with his original owners, Karen and Peter Cutts and former best mate Bella, the family dog.
Karen Cutts said Tigga was born in October 2012, and was adopted from the SPCA along with his brother Oscar.
They lived next door to Parkland School, but after two years, moved to a rental in Kelvin Grove, across a busy state highway and several kilometres away.
After about a year, Tigga disappeared, and much desperate searching failed to find him.
Nobody quite knows, but it seems that he was living rough for about a year, then started hanging around the school, at first fearful and infrequent, until he was won over with food, warmth and affection.
Teacher aide librarian Tosca Newton became one of his principal caregivers, setting up his chair in the library, and visiting daily during holidays and lockdown to feed and fuss over him.
He gets flea treatment as well.
Newton said she and caretaker Roger Heatley and cleaner Theresa Langley were Kevin’s closest companions, but ‘‘she, I mean he’’, was loved by everyone.
The Cutts were overwhelmed to get a call explaining where the cat was living.
‘‘It just blew us away, it was so surreal,’’ Karen said.
‘‘We shot down as quick as we could.
‘‘After seeing where and how he had been living, and the amazing mural, it was very hard to take him away, but we were so excited to have him back.’’
As word of Kevin’s re-location spread, messages started flowing in, most happy he had been reunited with his family, some sad he had gone, and others not quite so kind.
As more stories of Kevin’s escapades emerged, the Cutts found he even had his own Facebook page.
‘‘It was overwhelming to say the least.’’
The family agonised over whether they had done the right thing taking him away from his adopted home.
And after many a tear, they took him back.
‘‘This has been one of the hardest things we have ever done,’’ Karen said.
‘‘But we thought of Tigga, the school community, and all the children that love him as much as we do.
‘‘We are forever grateful to Parkland School and community for taking our fur baby in.’’
School principal Peter Barnett said that it had been the right thing to return Kevin to his proper owners, and it was extraordinarily generous of them to bring him back.
‘‘It’s an amazing gesture.’’ For the Cutts, the tale is also a credit to the power of microchipping pets.
It has re-kindled their hope that Tigga’s brother Oscar, who is missing from home, will also be found and returned.
‘‘Miracles can happen. ‘‘Never give up, and chip your animals.’’