The legend of Nigel grows in Grandview-Woodland

Nigel, a friendly black cat that lives near Woodland Park, has become a local hero. Or anti-hero if you’re not #teamnigel.

Posters recounting his supposed deeds now cover a telephone pole near the park: “Nigel saved my baby from a speeding Tesla,” “Nigel told me to invest in Microsoft in 1986,” “Nigel cured my peanut allergy,” “Nigel treks across Vancouver every night so he can poop in Chip Wilson’s backyard,” and so on, the handmade signs cheekily claim. 

“I’m not sure who the first [person] was that decided to imagine Nigel as this rogue Robin Hood character, but I’m really enjoying it,” Nigel’s owner Debbie told Vancity Lookout, referring to the grassroots message board. “It’s a heart-warming community thing.”

“He's extremely friendly and cute and silly,” which has made Nigel a known character in the neighbourhood, Debbie said. 

The legend of Nigel has spread online (he has five stars on Google) and even reached the popular Earnest Ice Cream location nearby, where they’ve put up Nigel artwork of their own. 

Nigel’s fame grew after Debbie and her partner put up posters in the neighbourhood in response to an unknown community member leaving notes complaining about Nigel with their next-door neighbours. 

Debbie said they’d received four notes over a couple of years, which got increasingly “aggressive and angry … accusing Nigel's owners of under-feeding him [and] not caring for him well.” Fearing some sort of vandalism or harm to them or their neighbours, Debbie and her partner decided to put up their posters to resolve any issues in a “positive and neighbourly way.” 

“[We] assure you that he has a warm home and plentiful food,” it read in part. Debbie said they haven’t heard from whoever left the notes.

According to the telephone poll nearby, Nigel’s “crimes” include “grand theft tuna,” “known association with East Van meowfia,” “Stealing my catalytic converter (but I don’t care),” and “convincing my staff to unionize (now I can’t afford my second yacht 😠).” 

“He's a great cat. We love him, and we really love that the community loves him too.”

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