Award-winning Atherstone school cat dies

An award-winning cat who was loved by children and helped to calm anxious primary school pupils before they sat their exams has died.

Twelve-year-old Cilla, who lived at Outwoods Primary in Atherstone, Warwickshire, died on Thursday night, the school confirmed on X.

“She was not in pain, but had a growth that could not be removed,” the post said.

Cilla, short for Priscilla Outwoods, had almost 26,000 followers on social media after first becoming part of the school when she wandered on to the site as a hungry stray about six years ago.

In September, Cilla won the the National Cat Award’s Connected Cats honour, to mark her impact on social media and in her local community.

The domestic shorthair, who had beds all over the school, had supported Year 6 pupils before and after their Sats (Standard Assessment Tests).

Head teacher Sally Taylor previously said Cilla was very intuitive, with a “calming” presence, and would wander in and out of classrooms to hang out with pupils.

A post on Cilla’s official X account confirmed 400 pupils were told on Friday morning their “little princess” had died.

“Our corridors, normally filled with laughter and meows are full of tears, thank you for loving her as much as we did,” it added.

“She was a little cat who had a massive impact on us all, we will miss her but never forget her.”