A Local School Gave a Neighborhood Cat a Perfect Attendance Award
In Glasgow, a cat named Kiki has managed to charm an entire community simply by showing up every day. Her dedication to walking her young owner to school has earned her something most kids dream of: a perfect attendance award.
Image via iStockphoto/suravikin
Kiki is only two years old, but she already has a routine that would put many students to shame. Every morning, as 10-year-old Sonny Scott heads out the door, Kiki perks up from her nap and dashes after him. If Sonny and his friends get distracted and slow down, Kiki trots ahead as if urging them to hurry along. Then she waits in the playground for the school day to end before escorting them home again.
Her loyalty hasn’t gone unnoticed. Teachers and students alike look for her at the gates, and it’s safe to say she has become as much a part of the school as the bell that rings at the end of the day. The head teacher even gave her special recognition for having “100 percent attendance.”
Feline Like No Other
Kiki’s owner, Michelle Scott, says she knew early on that this cat was different. As a social worker and lifelong cat lover, Michelle gave Kiki to Sonny as a present for his eighth birthday. From the start, the kitty seemed unusually sociable. Whenever Sonny had friends over, she would plop herself down among them, as if she were just another one of the kids.
Now, that same friendly nature has spilled into the wider school community. Teachers have used Kiki’s presence to teach children how to treat animals with respect. For the kids, she’s become a little celebrity at the school gates.
Acknowledged on a National Stage
Kiki’s daily walks have made it all the way to the finals of the Cats Protection National Cat Awards 2025. Out of hundreds of entries from across the UK, she has secured her spot in the Connected Cats category, which celebrates cats that bring people together.
The competition is no small event. Winners are decided by a public vote from June 16 to July 31. The ceremony, hosted by writer and presenter Dawn O’Porter, will be held in London on September 24.
Each category winner will take home a trophy, a £200 pet store voucher, and a year’s subscription to The Cat magazine. The overall National Cat of the Year will earn an extra trophy, along with plenty of bragging rights.
Everyone Loves Kiki
The overall winner for 2024 was Marley, a cat who comforted women recovering from trauma at a safe house in London. This year, Kiki stands as one of the contenders for the same honor.
No matter the outcome, though, she has already made a difference. She’s evidence that sometimes the smallest routines, like a walk to school, can bring people together significantly.