Retirement party held for cat who spent 17 years as ship's self-appointed rodent control officer

Ever since he was rescued off the streets in 1998, Erik the Red has been patrolling the harbour in Halifax, Canada, and making as many friends as possible. He quickly assumed the position of rodent control officer aboard CSS Acadia, a former surveying vessel at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. But after a long career, Erik’s days on the docks have finally come to an end. On Sunday, museum staff and members of the public said farewell to their feline friend with a retirement party. “We are celebrating the retirement of a crew member and co-worker,” said Stephen Read, CSS Acadia’s ship keeper. “His name is Erik the Red, and he is a cat.”



Erik had the job every cat dreams of - hunting down and destroy as many mice as possible. The rodents running wild aboard the Acadia were never safe when Erik was on the scene. “No pest-control company could ever do the kind of job Erik does,” Read said. “There are too many nooks and crannies on this ship. He would eat them (the mice) most of the time. Sometimes a small bit might be missed, and, much like his predecessor, he would occasionally leave some of the choicest bits in the bottom of a shoe, just to say thanks.” Unfortunately, Erik’s health and old age forced him into retirement. He recently had his left eye removed after being diagnosed with melanoma last spring. “Erik has just gotten a little bit too old to be comfortable on board in the winter,” said Read.

“There’s no amount of heat you can pump through the radiators and no amount of sweaters you can put on to really ease the cold and dampness below deck in the wintertime.” Read said Erik is moving to a friend’s house in north-end Halifax and that everyone aboard the Acadia will miss him dearly. “It won’t be the same down here on the waterfront,” he said. “Erik developed the tradition of leaving the ship in the morning to catch the first wave of commuters off the ferry, and no matter what, he would greet those same people on the way back, constantly looking for a treat. He may find the odd field mouse up in the north end, but he won’t have the same company.” Sunday’s celebration made Erik’s final day on the docks a memorable one, and dozens of people showed up to say goodbye. There was cake, sidewalk art, a book reading and even a hotline so people could call in and tell their favourite stories about Erik.



“This was not just to acknowledge his service, or we would have just had a staff party, ” said Read. “It was to acknowledge the fact that he is so popular and has such a tremendous following.” Renate Wegner, one of Erik’s biggest fans, was on board the Acadia to scratch his ears for the last time on Sunday. Wegner and her husband live in New York but spend their summers in Halifax. “We come to the wharf every day, and we met Erik a few years ago,” she said. “He recognised us after a while. We would call him and he would always come. Then we’d sit on a bench, he’d rub around a little bit, we’d talk and I’d give him a couple treats.” Wegner said spending time with Erik always made her days in Halifax enjoyable. “The fact he would remember us year-to-year and always come say hello was really special. There are a lot of people around here that have the same relationship with Erik as we do. We’ll miss him.”