‘Mayor of Ahuriri’: Napier’s best-known cat Sooty gets his own book

Mike Richardson with his new colouring-in book about Sooty the cat (inset). Photo / NZME

A colouring-in book has been released in time for Christmas for one of Napier’s most loved minor celebrities - a cat named Sooty.

Sooty the cat has become something of an icon in the Ahuriri shopping precinct, visiting shops and cafes and strutting the streets most days.

Shop owners and residents even refer to him as the “Mayor of Ahuriri” and a Facebook page set up in honour of Sooty has about 500 members.

He has now become the star of a new book titled A Cat Named Sooty available at The School Shop in Ahuriri for $25.

A Cat Named Sooty is now available in time for Christmas. Photo / Paul Taylor

Napier cartoonist Mike Richardson was so taken by the growing interest in the feline that he decided to create the colouring-in book.

He has sketched about 28 pages using his iPad - mainly around different sites in Ahuriri - for people to colour in and enjoy.

“Everyone is chatting about Sooty and it is creating quite a big interest down at the port at the moment.

“It’s a great publicity thing and actually the cat is so popular they are calling it the Mayor of Ahuriri.”

Sooty has become a minor celebrity in the township. Photo / Supplied

Despite being fed and adored by many around Ahuriri, Sooty is not a stray and actually has owners, Richardson said.

“I’ve spoken to the people that actually own that cat and they live on the waterfront down [near] the port,” he said.

“The cat just goes out in the morning and could be anywhere.”

He said he wanted to put out the book in time for Christmas.

“You need a bit of humour today, the world is too grim.”

The black feline - referred to as a male on his fan page - is easily recognisable as he wears a tag with the name Sooty.