Cat sneaks on to train, gets lost, is reunited with owner via Twitter

Via the Submitterator, Boing Boing reader Johnny Meerkat says,

A suburban cat wandered onto a city-bound train in Dublin, Ireland only to emerge at a city center station. Rail staff used CCTV to figure out which station the cat boarded at, and through Twitter, cat and owner were reunited. As a "reward," the cat was issued a rail pass.

CCTV, in this case, stands for "Cat Catching TV."

Above left: Lilou, in repose. Look at her smug face. Top right, surveillance video that captured Lilou totally not paying train fare like other law-abiding citizens, and sneaking on to the platform as if she owned it. And bottom right, Lilou's new rail pass, which really does need a LOLWUT.

Who says cat-crime doesn't pay?

Full story plus larger size photos and two video reports (you'll need Real Player to view them, hahaha) at RTÉ News.

Reached for comment on the matter, Shocked Cat says:

• [Jean-Luc Turbo]

  I really want to hate the proliferation of CCTV but here’s yet ANOTHER example of the technology saving a cat!

• [Anonymous]

  More proof that the internet is made of cats.

• [mdh]

  where you at today, anonymous? you just got schooled by the irish, boi!

• [JonBog]

  Selina Kyle wasn’t wrong!

• [Eutychus]

  What Jean-Luc and Anon said. In fact maybe this is proof that the cats are running the CCTV (Ceiling Cat TV?).

  Plus, the cat’s suitably ID-photo compatible “neutral expression” on the multipass is priceless.

• [OMS123]

  mentalfloss.com did a story last week on a bunch of animals that took public transportation. Some really great stories in it.

  http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/64076

• [mdh]

  There’s this much less documented story to be taken with a grain or five or a pud of salt.

• [social_maladroit]

  This sets a dangerous precedent. Once word spreads among the Irish cat population that they can get free DART passes by being scofflaws, they’ll all start doing it. Meanwhile, fares for everyone else will be Dublin.

  (Actually, Lilou was just imitating this coyote.)

• [WaylonWillie]

  This is why I don’t have a twitter account. And just for reinforcement: if my cat escapes, please don’t return it!!!

• [W. James Au]

  Play him ON, Keyboard Cat!

  • [mdh]

    well played.

• [technogeek]

  I suspect Lilou is young enough not to have to pay a fare.

• [Anonymous]

  Ok, now we have to change our mind about surveillance cameras. From now on we will continue to hate cameras, except for those pointed at lost cats or people harming cats.
  Damnit, it’s getting harder…

• [thewub]

  In defense of my national broadcaster, I should point out that they are migrating to a Flex/FLV video player – still in beta – wherein you can find the relevant clip here:
  http://www.rte.ie/player/#v=1079348

• [sergeirichard]

  RTÉ are hardly the only ones to be reluctant to move away from RM; the BBC only dropped it last year. And there may be method in the mediocrity – the combination of Realmedia over an RTMP stream made their video a real bastard to rip…

  Might I just say in passing that this is the first story I’ve read on Boing Boing that I’d already heard about from my mother.

  • [Anonymous]

    Ha, ditto on then faster-than-the-internet mother.. She does love cats… Of course.

• [Baldhead]

  When do cats not look smug i ask?

  • [alisong76]

    When they look shocked!

• [Anonymous]

  Lilou – Multipass

• [tuckels]

  The cat is not nearly surprised enough.

• [Anonymous]

  Bawwwww.

• [Xeni Jardin]

  You’re right. I just checked in with Shocked Cat, however, and have amended the post to include his comments on the affair.

• [Anonymous]

  How pur-fect!

• [That Evening Sun]

  Lilou Kittie. Multi-pass.

  • [blueelm]

    Hahaha!

    • [sergeirichard]

      Seconded.

• [Grey Devil]

  “(you’ll need Real Player to view them, hahaha)”

  I think this is the news here. People still use Real Player?

  • [Fang Xianfu]

    No, they don’t.

  • [Hollytron]

    With RTE, thats only the tip of the Iceberg…..