Meet Tiger. University residents and locals have doubtless had some unforgettable encounters with this popular Redfern native, an “old gangster” cat that’s a familiar sight on Abercrombie Street.
This ginger tabby cat is quite the legendary and well-loved character for despite his grumpy face, Tiger loves to solicit pats and touches from the humans walking in this busy Redfern section.
Stories have it that Tiger moved from the sleepy outskirts of Bundeena about 19 years ago to the stay in the lively inner west. Because he’s very adaptable, he had no trouble fitting in and growing attached to the locals.
For years, Redfern locals shared their encounters with Tiger, which has been documented on his dedicated Instagram @tiger_abercrombie_streetcat.
But sometime before the pandemic, a worrying post alarmed the community.
“I’m sorry to report that Tiger may be on his last legs,” the message said. “He’s at the vet now because he has been bleeding from the mouth. He’s a very old cat, around 17 years, and it might be his time. He’s coming back to Abercrombie this afternoon and will most probably spend the night at Huda’s place. If you do see him on the street, make sure to get one final pat on this lovely old fellow.”
Two months later, however, another message was shared on the Instagram account, saying that Tiger has recovered from his illness and he’s back at his favorite spot on Abercrombie.
When the pandemic struck, his social media site went dark for a year, leading Tiger fans to conclude that the furry local’s nine lives might be up.
However, sometime in April 2021, a message on Instagram gave Tiger’s adoptive community some hope. It explained why the social media account has been quiet. Apparently, the person who managed it lost access and the password to the account. Tiger, however, is still “kicking and living.”
The Redfern community is waiting for more updates.
But Tiger is not the only Abercrombie celebri-kitty. The Eveleigh Hotel is the turf of Ambercrombie Charlie, a classic tabby with blotched black and white streaks on its fur who is about 13 years old.
Though not quite a street cat since he lives with owner Lou Shackleton, Ambercrombie Charlie gets regular visitors, especially after he made it to the local news quite a number of times.
Students at the University of Sydney, who major in the study of animals, are very familiar with this cat. In 2017, his photo was part of the campaign to vote for marriage equality in NSW.
In 2019, he caused serious worries for the community for his reported disappearance. Even the police got involved in his search.
Following investigations, an Uber rider thought that Charlie was a missing cat as he has found him on the street without his collar. It was an honest mistake.