A five-month-old black British Shorthair kitten named Percy has made headlines after vanishing from Salisbury and turning up nearly a week later in Canterbury—150 miles away. The feline, who belongs to a member of Salisbury Cathedral’s staff, disappeared on 5 May, prompting a social media appeal that was widely shared by concerned locals. Cathedral staff suspect the curious cat may have hitched a ride aboard a coach, ultimately winding up at the historic pilgrimage site associated with St Thomas Becket.
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The unexpected journey has drawn comparisons to the medieval pilgrimages immortalised in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. Percy’s trek, now fondly dubbed “Percy’s Pilgrimage,” ended when he was taken to a local vet in Canterbury, where his microchip confirmed his identity. The cathedral expressed relief and gratitude in a follow-up post, confirming Percy had returned safely: “We assume he must have hopped on a coach and gone for a visit, before being found and taken to a vet’s.”
Delighted social media users flooded comment sections with reactions, with many playfully suggesting that Percy had embarked on his own spiritual journey. “His name should be Chaucer,” one Facebook user remarked, while another added, “Perhaps he thought he should visit Canterbury Cathedral.” Others speculated whimsically on the kitten’s motives, suggesting he might have been visiting a feline friend.
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Regular pilgrimages between Salisbury and Canterbury can take several days on foot, with travellers traditionally passing cathedrals in Winchester, Guildford, and Rochester along the way. While Percy’s exact route remains a mystery, his return has certainly captured the public’s imagination—and perhaps even inspired a few to undertake their own adventures, albeit by more conventional means.
