Friday, 02 September 2016 10:06

Milly the cat puts road safety first

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Paula Gabb proud owner of Milly, the feisty feline Paula Gabb proud owner of Milly, the feisty feline
In the feline appreciation stakes there is currently no contest in determining High Barnet’s most sociable – and safety conscious – cat.

Milly, a 15-year-old tabby, regularly stops the traffic as she walks from her home in Carnarvon Road and over the zebra crossing between Barnet Library and the Spires shopping centre.

Once safely inside the Spires’ concourse, Milly is happy to be stroked by passing shoppers, and then she is off on her own shopping expedition, attempting to call in perhaps at Waitrose, the

Victoria Bakery, Savers or even the Carphone Warehouse.

Owner Paula Gabb says Milly has made a name for herself by being so sociable, but the only trouble is that people think she is a stray, and perhaps hungry, so they keep trying to give her some food.

Don’t let the cat in

“It can sometimes be embarrassing having a cat that is such a character, but her address is clearly given on her collar, and lots of visitors to the Spires have got to know her, they like to say hello and they know she is well cared for.

Milly enters the Spires“What everyone comments upon is the way Milly approaches the zebra crossing in Stapylton Road.

She waits for pedestrians to cross, sees that the traffic has stopped, and then sets off herself. She really is very safety conscious.”

Ms Gabb says Milly is known by some people as the “library cat”, because the library had to put up a sign outside saying, “Don’t let the cat in”.

“She really is very pushy. My son had to go along to the library one day and bring her home.

Milly had settled herself in upstairs, along with the students reading their books, and she was sitting there on a chair, just chilling out.”

Milly was a rescue cat from the RSPCA, and is one of Ms Gabb’s four cats and two dogs.

“Milly does stand her ground with the dogs, hisses and paws them if they make a nuisance. It’s the same across the road in the Spires, she arches her back and hisses if a dog gets too close, a real feisty lady.”

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