Much loved family cat Lollipop, known to her friends as Lolly, has something of an adventurous streak.
The five-and-a-half year old tabby has a home with her family in Bradley Stoke but regularly enjoys going off for an adventure all on her own – once even ending up in Warwick. Lolly’s travels have now become such a phenomenon that the cat has her own Facebook page with more than 420 followers, where people can report where they have spotted her and share photos. She was a regular visitor to Bailey’s Court Pub.
Lolly’s owner Carole Buckingham has lived in Bradley Stoke for around 12 years, with her husband Rich and children Annabel and Lucas, who all very much dote on Lolly. But after the family moved house a few months ago, albeit only a short distance from their old home, Lolly’s adventures became much more frequent.
“She started travelling pretty much as soon as she was allowed out of the house as a kitten,” says Carole. “I’d been to collect her from the vet about three times as people had found a lost cat and taken her to the vet. She just goes into people’s houses on our road. If there’s an open door, she’ll go in it – whether it’s a shop, a pub, a house, a car. Even a cat carrier. Obviously it’s not safe sometimes.”
In 2021, Lolly suffered an accident on one of her adventures when she was hit by a car and ended up losing a leg. “She came home and was limping, so we took her to the vet,” says Carole. “She spent two and half weeks there, they tried to save her leg but it wasn’t possible. She has adapted very well and it makes her much easier for people to recognise. It doesn’t seem to bother her.”
Carole has now put an Apple Air Tag on Lolly’s collar to try and keep track of the wandering feline and to help her stay safe, and Lolly is currently being kept indoors for a few weeks to try and help her learn where her new house is. “It’s just in her nature to explore,” says Carole. “She wouldn’t be happy being an indoor cat. She likes her freedom. She’s a people cat.”
A few months ago, Lolly even travelled all the way to Warwick in the back of a removal van. “Someone else on our road was moving house, they noticed her hanging around, got to Warwick, opened the van and there she was,” says Carole. “Luckily they managed to contain her and the removal company brought her back home to us. She’d been up and back by the time I knew anything had happened.”
Lolly is now so notorious that sometimes people will stop in the street to say ‘hello’ to her, completely ignoring the Buckingham family who are with her! If you want to keep track of Lolly, or report a sighting, you can visit the Facebook page by searching for ‘Where’s Lolly?’