School whose cat died adopts another stray

A school whose pupils were heartbroken after its award-winning cat died has adopted another stray.

Twelve-year-old Cilla, who lived at Outwoods Primary in Atherstone, Warwickshire, died in November 2024 after vets found a "growth that could not be removed".

The school has since adopted a Maine Coon cat called Aloysius O'Hare, who is named after a character from Dr Seuss' The Lorax.

Head teacher Sally Taylor said students were "devastated" when much-loved Cilla died but "excited" by the new cat, who wandered in and out of classrooms like his predecessor.

Cilla had thousands of followers on social media

Cilla, short for Priscilla Outwoods, had thousands of followers on X and was known for helping children with exam stress.

The domestic shorthair, who lived at the school for nine years, had supported Year 6 pupils before and after their Sats (Standard Assessment Tests).

She was previously recognised at the National Cat Awards for her impact on social media and in her local community.

"She wandered the school," Mrs Taylor said. "In and out of classrooms, in and out of assemblies, and just was there for the children really."

The school's newest resident has been named after a character from Dr Seuss' The Lorax

After Cilla's death, the school contacted charity Cats Protection and were told of another stray found at a school in Herefordshire, who at the time was "quite poorly".

"They'd got him better, he was really well, and they brought him up just at the beginning of the summer holidays," the headteacher said.

She described the school's new resident as "confident" and having a "calming influence".

"Aloysius is also the patron saint of students, so it's like fate, really, that he's here," she said.

"He just lapped it up [the attention] - he wandered around the classroom, they were all stroking him.

"He's huge, he's as a big as a dog already. He's massive and he's beautiful."