Nala sits perched on the gates to the platforms, greeting each commuter (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
Walking into Stevenage Station nothing particularly stands out – but as you take a look around, you may notice that it’s home to a very unique resident.
At the Costa, a small box marked ‘CAT’S BOX’ sits underneath the sugar and stirrers, and as you walk into Green Goddess Flowers, a celebrity is napping behind the counter.
Nala is a ginger cat who spends most of his days greeting commuters who come and go through the station.
Owner Natasha said that while Nala has been coming to the station for almost two years, he’s only gotten more attention in the last few months.
She told Metro.co.uk: ‘He’s just very friendly. Costa has left a box out for him now – everyone just loves him.’
The love for Nala is palpable – each commuter who walks by smiles or nods at Nala, with most opting to rub his head.
Fit with a collar so owner Natasha can track him, he wanders at his own leisure (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
He’s even a fan of Costa, who sets out a box for him to snooze in (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
A station worker tells me that Nala loves the area so much, that he was locked inside the station after closing before someone realised he had been left behind the gates.
Not that Nala minds – he seems to know every corner of Stevenage Station.
But his favourite spot is Green Goddess Flowers, run by Lianne, who opened her shop with her mum after Covid.
Lianne said: ‘Before, Nala used to come in and sit in our chair, but that was only occasionally. Now I think it’s become a downtime for him.
‘He comes dashing over, and he’ll come and sleep.’
But as friendly as Nala may be to commuters, there’s one species he’s not fond of – dogs.
Sometimes train station employees need a break (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
Nala insists on helping Green Goddess Flowers owner Lianne with her work (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
The Costa box is also a cosy retreat for Nala (Picture: Sarah Hooper)
Lianne said: ‘He’s territorial. So he’s up on the dateline and then walking the dog past he’ll come down near the dog and try to square up to them.
‘You know how cats arch their back? He’s not ever done anything bad. But he definitely makes it clear that this is his station.’
Even the Mayor of Stevenage has shook Nala’s paw (ceremonially, of course), showing that Nala has truly left his mark in Stevenage.
And with nearly 30,000 followers on Instagram alone, it’s clear Nala’s fans hope he stays and greets them for a long time to come.
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‘Everyone just loves him’