Palmerston North Central Library’s nameless clay cat is now called Keretū

Keretū the clay cat lives on level two of Palmerston North Central Library. How many books it reads when the staff go home is conjecture. Photo / Judith Lacy

For more than 15 years, the nameless cat quietly observed the comings and goings of Palmerston North Central Library staff and visitors.

It never asked for food but happily lapped up strokes and pats. It even wore a mask during the height of the pandemic.

But thanks to a competition run by the heritage team, you can call the clay cat Keretū.

Keretū means “heavy clay” in te reo Māori, and the name symbolises anchoring people and space.

Fittingly, the winner was Stuart Schwartz. Keretū was made in his gallery, Taylor-Jensen Fine Arts. To the best of his memory, it was made by potter Ann Verdcourt, who died in 2022.

Long-serving heritage team member Lesley Courtney says the cat was made for an installation in 2007 to encourage people to visit the da Vinci machines exhibition at Te Manawa.

The installation was in a George St library window and was a 3D mock-up of a painting of Leonardo da Vinci’s workspace. Books featured prominently in the painting, as did a cat sitting on a chest.

Keretū is still attached to the chest.

When the installation ended, the cat took up residence on the ground floor of Central Library with the heritage team. In 2013, when the team moved to level two, Keretū came too and now lives next to the heritage reception desk.

Feilding resident Vivienne Manning says hello to Keretū the cat at Palmerston North Central Library. Photo / Judith Lacy

Heritage team leader Tracey Armstrong says children exclaim “kitty” and go and pat the cat. Adults do a double-take and ask if it is real.

Judith Lacy has been the editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001 and this is her second role editing a community paper.