Aldi cat bringing joy to Haverhill shoppers

Lupin has become a hit with many shoppers in a Suffolk market town

Food prices might be rising, but Aldi shoppers have found something to smile about after a black cat began frequenting one store.

Lupin's owners said he liked to "wander" and was a regular visitor to the branch in Haverhill, Suffolk.

Numerous photos of the Aldi interloper have been shared on social media.

Shop staff have been seen taking Lupin out of the store in a basket, but apparently this has made him "angry" and just caused him to stroll back in.

Jade Morgan recently moved to Haverhill and was shopping with her father and grandfather when she first spotted the cat.

"I said, 'Dad, there's a cat in the bread aisle,' and he joked I should lay off the drink," she said.

"Then he spotted the cat the next day, and I said, 'I told you so'."

This photo of Lupin looking longingly at cat food sparked a flurry of pictures and messages on Facebook

Since Ms Morgan posted a photograph of the cat on a local Facebook group, more than 500 people have reacted and hundreds have commented and posted their own photos.

A woman came forward to admit the marauding moggy was her cat Lupin. She said he was adopted after being found stray and had been microchipped, but he just liked to wander.

Lupin has been spotted curling up on an empty space among fruit drinks

Ms Morgan said she understood Lupin also visited a nearby Tesco and was fond of the KFC takeaway.

"But Aldi seems to be his favourite," she said.

"He's a lovely cat and I think he's put a smile on the faces of the people in Haverhill."

It is possible the cat had a hankering for Mexican food when this picture was taken

Lupin certainly seems to know where the cat food aisle is, and a number of photographs show the moggy mooching around the boxes and tins.

Comments have flooded in to the closed Facebook group, with many saying how "lovely" Lupin is and how much they look forward to seeing him.

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A few have commented that the cat has been seen eyeing up the ham, and photographs show staff trying to remove him from his comfy perch on a top shelf.

One person commented: "Doing my shopping last night, the cat came in three times and was returned to a safe area in the car park each time - the staff do their best."

Aldi has been asked to comment on Lupin's antics.