THE owner of Felix, a beloved cat well-known in Liskeard for his friendly nature and regular interactions with local residents of all ages, has expressed heartfelt thanks for the overwhelming outpouring of messages and support following his tragic death.

Felix was sadly killed after being hit by a car on Thursday, April 3, leaving a noticeable void in the community where he had become a familiar and much-loved figure.

Having become something of a local celebrity, he was known for his daily wanderings through the town, frequenting a bench close to the Morrisons supermarket, where his gentle and sociable nature helped him touch the lives of countless residents.

His owner, Shaz Harris, said the kindness and compassion shown in the days since his passing had been deeply comforting to both her and partner Garry.

Felix the Cat near the sign which told people not to feed him
Felix the cat near the sign which told people not to feed him ( )

“I can’t thank the people of Liskeard enough for their support and the mass outpouring of love they’ve shown since Felix passed away,” said Shaz. “Reading all of the comments and hearing the various tributes, we didn’t quite realise just how much he meant to so many people.

“Right now, we have a lot of emotions going on, but we’re slowly coming to terms with it. Garry, in particular, is having horrible flashbacks, but we know we're not alone in feeling this deep sense of loss. It was an accident, but cats will be cats, they have a mind of their own and they will do what they want to do, especially Felix.”

Shaz told how she adopted Felix back in 2013 as a result of a cruelty case - and that he was never a feline who would be happy staying indoors. Instead, he wanted to be ‘out and about’ enjoying the fresh air and interacting with people, particularly children, on a daily basis.

Felix the Cat near the sign which told people not to feed him
Just some of the floral tributes left for popular Liskeard cat Felix following his passing (Angela Jackson)

“It was only about 10 or 11 months ago that we realised just how popular he was,” added Shaz, who set up a Facebook page dedicated to his daily exploits. “We opened up the page and we had 10 members quickly sign up. By the end of the week it was about a 100 and by the end of the month it was 500, it just kept going up and up.”

With 1,500 members following the page, Felix became somewhat of a social media sensation with regular pictures and videos of his exploits posted online.

“He always had a strong desire to be out and about, which in turn would just attract him to people, particularly children,” added Shaz. “Lots have said they would have daily chats with him, they would interact with him, there was just so much love for him.”

A spokesperson for the Launceston & District Branch of Cats Protection said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Felix, a truly special cat who captured the hearts of so many in our community. A local star and cherished companion, Felix brought joy to everyone who knew him. Our hearts go out to his family and all who loved him.”