Casper The Commuting Cat: The True Story Of The Cat Who Rode The Bus And Stole Our Hearts

One driver, Jo, later told me that there was complete shock in the depot. People had got so used to Casper and his funny little ways; they considered him one of their own, and now he was gone. It was, of course, something that we’d all worried about ever since we’d found out about his habit of crossing the road and wandering about. As time had gone on, perhaps some of his friends had thought he was a remarkable cat in more ways than one; maybe he would avoid the inevitable and survive the traffic. I must confess that I’d never thought this way; I’d always worried, I’d always thought this day would come.

The hours passed slowly until Chris came home. I heard the car pull up outside and knew what he would be feeling – the absolute emptiness that Casper was not there to run to him. I fell into his arms with all the sadness of the day’s events pouring out of me. It felt so real. It felt so final.

CHAPTER 26

RIP Casper

Edd was true to his word. Within a few days, the story of Casper’s death was in the Plymouth Herald.

Celebrity cat killed in hit and run

A much-loved Barne Barton cat who made headlines around the world has died after being hit by a car.

Casper the commuting cat fast became a celebrity on Plymouth buses when he used to politely queue with the other passengers, before hopping aboard to travel around the city.

His owner says she’s devastated and doubts she’ll ever have a cat like Casper again.

Sue Finden said: ‘I never dreamt I’d miss an animal as much as I miss him. He was lovely and loved people so much – he was such a different character.’

She said she only found out about his death when a woman knocked on her door to tell her she’d seen Casper get hit by a car, but the driver hadn’t stopped.

She took Casper into the house but realized he’d already died.

‘If he’d been ill we might have prepared for it but it hasn’t helped us that the driver didn’t stop – we couldn’t believe it.’

Sue discovered Casper’s escapades when he followed her onto a bus and a First Devon and Cornwall bus driver said he travelled with them all the time.

The Plymouth puss featured on websites from England’s tabloids to the USA’s mystateline.com.

Headlines Casper enjoyed included ‘Stowaway Cat gets bus-ted’, in The Sun while The Press Association went with ‘Joyrider Casper given a puss pass’. He also appeared on a diverse range of other websites.

He proved a hit with drivers and customers alike, who always made sure he returned home safely.

Casper’s journey took him from just outside his house in Poole Park Road to the final stop at Royal Parade and back, via St Budeaux Square, HMS Drake, Keyham, Devonport and Stonehouse.

Mrs Finden added: ‘I thought it was only decent that I let the public know what had happened to him as he made so many friends and would turn up to the bus stop like clockwork.’

She posted a notice at Casper’s usual bus stop in Poole Park Road, saying: ‘Many local people knew Casper, who loved everyone. He also enjoyed the bus journeys.