BURST
For years, Nigel has patrolled the sidewalks in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood of East Vancouver with the swagger of a local councillor and the social calendar of a minor celebrity.
The black cat, known for traipsing through the streets with his tail ramrod straight in the air, has become such a beloved neighbourhood fixture that he is listed as a tourist attraction on Google Maps with 28 five-star reviews, many praising his cuddly demeanour.
“People often tell us that he made their day,” said Jen, who, along with her wife Debbie, rescued Nigel as a feral cat seven years ago.
“Nigel’s just incredibly friendly. His butt is always up, tail straight in the air, like he’s permanently happy to see you,” Debbie said.
But over Easter weekend, Nigel’s roaming habits sparked an unlikely neighbourhood saga — one that has since exploded into hand-drawn murals, street-pole tributes and a running debate over feline boundaries and neighbourhood etiquette.
It began with a handwritten note.
Then another.
And another.
The anonymous letters, slipped into the mailbox of Jen and Debbie’s neighbour, complained that Nigel was showing up at all hours begging for food. One claimed the collar he wears — fitted with a bulky GPS tracker — was “too tight” and cutting off circulation to his brain. It also alleged the tracker was why he often “forgets how to go home.”
Jen and Debbie, who requested their full names be withheld out of fear of retaliation, said they wanted to stop whoever was dropping off letters at their neighbour’s home, so they put up a notice on a nearby utility pole at East Pender Street and Woodland Drive. They hoped it would help them connect with the mystery letter writer.
“We understand that he can be persistent, but we assure you that he has a warm home and plentiful food to come to,” read the note, which included the couple’s phone number.
“We really just wanted to take the attention off our neighbours, who had received so many angry notes,” Jen explained.
The residents of the neighbourhood chose sides — firmly Team Nigel.
Within a few days, that same utility pole was covered with handmade depictions of the feline folk hero.
“It just took off,” Jen said.
The first tribute to the friendly feline was on a piece of cardboard. It read: “Have you been wronged by Nigel? Join our support group.”
Other positive and playful notes flooded the pole.
“Nigel saved my baby from a speeding Tesla,” one of the artworks read.
“Nigel cured my peanut allergy,” another declared.
One sign, depicting a cartoon version of Nigel next to a red heart, claimed, “Nigel taught my kids to smoke.”
Another said, “Nigel stole my catalytic converter, but I don’t care.”
Officially, posters aren’t allowed on utility poles, and city workers have taken the artwork down more than once, according to Nigel’s owners.
“But before you can notice that artwork has been taken down, the pole gets filled up again,” said Jen.
A rally is scheduled for Saturday, where community members will gather to create more art for the telephone pole.
As the dispute unfolded, it became clear Nigel had already outgrown the role of an ordinary outdoor cat. He had become a community mainstay.
“The owner of a local daycare texted us, worried that we might keep Nigel inside because of all the drama,” Jen recalled. All six children at the centre had dressed up as Nigel for Halloween.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Local businesses have also chimed in. An Earnest Ice Cream shop has put up artwork of the black cat.
And last week, a miniature cinema mounted outside a local non-profit, the East Van Vodville Cinema, began screening clips of the 1965 movie That Darn Cat! with a new banner: “Nigel told us his favourite film is That Darn Cat, so we’re playing it too #TeamNigel.”
Through it all, the feline has maintained his routine, although his time at home has become less predictable. Jen says he now mostly returns every other morning for food, often syncing his visits with when his moms are awake.
“We wouldn’t be surprised if other people think he is their cat,” said Jen, who often checks the GPS collar to make sure Nigel hasn’t gone too far.
“He is known to go far and get lost. When that happens, I have to go drive and pick him up.”
When that happens, sometimes Nigel runs into his mother’s arms. Other times, however, he acts as if he has never seen her before.
“He will sit there from the top of a fence and just blink at me,” Jen explained. “He just knows he’s living his best life.”
Nigel’s owners still haven’t heard from the anonymous letter writer. The black cat continues to roam the streets, nudging local visitors to pet him, and keeping an eye on the community.
“Nigel has become bigger than our family, and we have accepted that,” said Jen.
One time, Debbie said she was driving home and saw him on top of a car.
“He had completely seduced a postman, who stopped work just to pet him. Nigel was cuddling up to the man’s face,” she recalled.
“We are just happy he has a very rich life.”