Thousands of people follow the adventures of Lerwick’s famous cat, Tommy, online.
The friendly feline is a much-loved celebrity in the town and a regular face at a number of shops, offices and pubs.
He even has his own bed at the Thule Bar on the Esplanade.
People who spot him out and about on his travels will share photos on his Facebook page – The Adventures of Tommy – which has more than 7,500 followers.
He has dedicated supporters all over the world who have helped him raise thousands of pounds for Shetland charities.
Since 2020, Tommy has donated a total of £10,250 to Shetland Foodbank.
Tommy the cat exploring Lerwick
The Lerwick celebrity, who turns seven in May, has lived in the town his whole life and moved in with his current owners in December 2019.
At this point, he had already established his adventurous habits and online presence.
Tommy’s owner Maggie Sandison, who works as chief executive for Shetland Islands Council, joked she did not realise how much time she would need to dedicate to his profile.
“He loves wandering around,” she said. “So, we document that on Facebook. He gets messages from people who say they’re coming to Shetland from Australia or America to visit because of him.
“He’s an ambassador for the island.”
Raising money for Shetland charities
At the end of each year, Maggie creates a calendar featuring photos of Tommy to raise money for charity.
These calendars are always a sell-out and can be found hanging on walls in New Zealand, Australia, America and across Europe.
The latest edition raised £4,000 for island charities, including Shetland Foodbank, Food for the Way.
Some of the money also went to Shetland Cats Protection and Shetland Cat Rescue so Tommy could support his fellow felines.
Maggie added: “We sold 400 calendars this year. I had to go back for a second print run.
“I’ve supported the foodbank personally for a long time so I was keen for them to get a big donation.”
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