03-03-2025
Meet Mischief, the fearless cat going viral after making an entire city his home
Cats are free-spirited animals. Most of them come and go as they please, wander around the block and pop into their neighbours' gardens.
However, one particularly adventurous cat from Plymouth has taken things to another level, prowling around for miles and visiting pubs, supermarkets, a school and even the city's naval base.
Mischief's antics have been winning over the hearts of locals for years now, but after featuring on a TikTok video that has been viewed more than 6 million times, the exploring feline is gaining a legion of fans from around the world.
New fans of Mischief's from outside the UK have been introducing themselves on the "Mischief's adventures in Plymouth", with one follower from Texas saying she will "keep her eyes peeled" should the cat decide to stowaway on a ship one day. Others now keeping track of his whereabouts include people from California, Phoenix and een Switzerland.
He's even made the news in the US, with WIVB News in Buffalo, New York, reporting on his escapades.
Followers of Mischief have put together a map showing all the places Mischief has been, and he sure does get around.
The aptly named Mischief was once spotted in the grounds of Devonport High School for Boys before entering a year 7 science class, much to the delight of students.
One video shows students at City College Plymouth playing with Mischief, one of whom can be heard asking: "Oh look, he followed us. Can we keep him?"
He also stopped by to show his support for a local netball team, with one player posting on Facebook: "Greeting our team at netball tonight. He really is such a lovely friendly cat. A lovely start to our training.
Plymouth local Phoebe Margaret wasn't even aware of Mischief's celebrity status when she found the cat sitting in the front seat of her car in May last year.
"This was him trying to hitchhike in my car on Millbridge this morning. Had to pretend I had some treats to lure him out," she wrote.
Mischief has also been seen prowling the aisles of Plymouth's supermarkets and newsagents and searching for building supplies at a local Jewsons.
Ever the style-icon, the cat has also been spotted outside the Ray-Ban shop in Plymouth's Drake Circus shopping centre.
Mischief has been spotted rubbing shoulders with locals at a number of Plymouth's pubs, a Ladbrokes bookmakers, and even a Slimming World meeting.
He's made himself at home in other people's living rooms, a Post Office and is said to have visited a vets on his own accord.
The wandering feline is even thought to have got into Plymouth's naval base on two occasions – presumably without needing security clearance.
Mischief has become a well-known and well-loved character around Plymouth, but his antics do get him into trouble from time to time.
In 2023, his owner, Tonie Blackmore, told the Plymouth Herald how she has to ground him sometimes if he wanders off too far, but Mischief clearly doesn't like to stay in the same place for too long.
"I have to remind him he has a home. He'll sit peeking out the blinds salty because he can't go out," Blackmore said.
"I got back from the shop the other day and his whole head was out the kitchen blind."
She added: "I've lost track of how many times I've picked him up, I must pick him up at least once or twice a fortnight."
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