Cat Named Oyster Catches Rush Hour Victoria Line to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home

Weary commuters got an unexpected treat when they were joined by a cat - aptly named Oyster after the Transport for London travel card - who boarded a rush hour tube and travelled 10 stops on the Victoria line.

The ginger tomcat hopped on at Seven Sisters tube station in north London and travelled south to Vauxhall - very close to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

By chance, Paige Jokovic, a Battersea volunteer who was on the same train, lured Oyster into a cat carrier to take him to the animal charity.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Oyster sitting on a seat on the tube. I thought at first he was a teddy bear," Jokovic said.

"Everyone around him was just staring like they'd never seen a cat before.

"Thankfully, I had a cat carrier with me as I had to pick my own cat up from the vets in the evening. We both took the tube to Vauxhall and I'm very pleased I was there to help him get off the tube, minding the gap, and escort him to Battersea."

Lindsey Quinlan, the charity's head of cattery, said: "Oyster is very lucky to have been found on the tube by Paige who was able to bring him to Battersea.

"We take in cats which have been found in appalling conditions in unusual places including bins and boxes but Oyster is a healthy, happy boy who appears to have been simply making his way to central London.

"Oyster doesn't have a microchip, so if nobody comes forward to collect him, he will be rehomed and hopefully not try to take a trip on the tube by himself again."

Battersea has been giving cats a home for more than 130 years and its three centres hold approximately 150 cats looking for new owners.