Olly the stray cat bombarded by postcards from mystery admirer

A stray cat who set up home at Manchester Airport is being sent postcards from around the world by a mystery fan. Ginger moggie Olly captured the hearts of staff and passengers after arriving outside Olympic House, the airport’s main office block, three years ago. Now the scruffy pet has picked up another admirer who is sending her greetings from a range of international destinations. The first card arrived about a year ago from Egypt and more quickly followed. The collection includes hand-written messages from Rome and Belgrade, with the latest – wishing Olly a ‘Merry Christmas’ from Venice – turning up just last week.



Airport bosses are baffled by the cards and say they have no idea who they are from. Intriguingly, the postcards include a phone number but no one answers. An airport spokesman said: “It’s a bit of a mystery as to who has been sending the postcards to Olly. We suspect it could be someone who has visited one of the companies with an office in Olympic House, although with 19 million passengers and about 20,000 people working on site, I doubt we’ll ever find out.

"Whoever it is, they are certainly taking advantage of the variety of destinations available from Manchester – the postcards have definitely raised a few smiles.” The postcards – which appear to be from the same person – are addressed to ‘Ginger Cat’. One reads: “Just been visiting your relations here in Egypt. The weather is lovely and sunny, I’m sure you wish you were here! Hope you can stay warm in all the snow.” A later card states the sender is now visiting family in Italy and enjoying ‘lots of sun and fresh fish’. It also refers to Olly’s ‘little house’ – a distinctive kennel outside the offices between terminals one and three – meaning the writer is likely to have met the cat previously.

An interview with Olly when she was still thought to be a he.

YouTube link.

Airport staff say the sender could be a pilot or cabin crew because they travel regularly. In 2008, hundreds of people signed a petition to keep Olly at the airport after it emerged that bosses were considering moving her. Supporters from as far afield as New Zealand and Kuwait voiced their anger and management decided to grant the popular cat a permanent visa to stay. Olly also hit the headlines when staff discovered the ‘tom cat’ was actually female after a visit to the vets.