More than a Building, Doorkins Magnificat – Southwark Cathedral

More than a Building. Doorkins Magnificat. Cat. Stray. Ambassador.

In 2008 a stray cat started visiting Southwark Cathedral looking for food. After being fed each morning for a few days, this cat decided to make the Cathedral her home.

Given the name Doorkins Magnificat by the Vergers who serve her on a daily basis, she is now very much part of the Cathedral fabric and is popular with the congregation, visitors and staff.  A number of visitors come to the Cathedral just to see her, and she has even had the honour to entertain HM The Queen.

In August 2017, she got all entrepreneurial and designed her own merchandise and published her first book – a percentage of the profits from these are now used to buy her own gifts, treats and food!

Her book can even be found in the Royal nursery!

And she has been immortalised in stone as her image was one of three new corbels to be recently added to the Cathedral.

Doorkins can be quite elusive but it is not uncommon to see her walk in front of the altar during a service, asleep on the Dean’s stall in the Choir during the day or cat-napping in the churchyard if the sun is out. In the winter months, she likes to stretch out on one of the radiators or snuggle into the hay at the Nativity Crib during Advent and Christmas.

Doorkins is a true ambassador for her Cathedral.

You can follow Doorkins’ adventures on Twitter @DoorkinsM.

(Photo: Thanks to Paul Timms)