travelling-blogger

comments

A  cheeky cat that has been enjoying free run of a Scottish medieval castle for the last year is set to appear on Japanese TV.

The fearless feline - named Kipper - spends his days prowling the grounds of Blackness Castle, near Linlithgow, roaming the battlements and leaping out of gun-holes at unsuspecting tourists.

The five-year-old moggie has become an online sensation with castle visitors frequently posting snaps of him perched on vantage points or nestling in comfy corners of the stone fortress.

Kipper roams the battlements almost every day and even leaping out of gun-holes at unsuspecting tourists

And Kipper is now set to appear on Japanese TV after a production crew spent eight hours filming him for a documentary about quirky cats from around the world.

Dubbed World 'Cats' Travelogue, the programme was shot by wildlife photographer Mitsuaki Iwago - an award-winning filmmaker whose work has twice featured as cover stories on National Geographic.

Kipper's owner, Ritchie Gilfillan, 31, who lives near the castle with wife Pamela and two-year-old son Callum, credited the cat's friendly attitude for his soaring popularity.

He told how Kipper was adopted by the Gilfillans in 2010 after being found as a stray on the Isle of Skye. Mr Gilfillan said: 'It's quite crazy how popular he has become.

Affectionate: Kipper has the 'personality of a dog', loves going for long walks and thinks he owns the castle

'But he's a really affectionate little cat and he just loves attention. He loves going for walks along beside us - no matter how far you walk he will follow you.'

Graeme Sinclair, monument manager at Blackness Castle, said Kipper has now become a valued member of the castle team. The 53-year-old said: 'He lives in the village, but he comes to the castle every day and has been roaming around for over a year now.

'He likes the tourists.

'He will meet a group that comes to the castle and they will wander around the grounds and down to the pier, and he will stay with them for the whole hour.

Star: Kipper is set to appear on Japanese TV after a production crew spent eight hours filming him

'People are amazed. He has the personality of a dog - and he'll think nothing of climbing into cars if people pull up.

'You'll see him flying out the gun-holes and running across the grass and jumping on to picnic tables. He gives off the impression he owns the castle.

'Maybe he is somehow the reincarnated life of someone who lived here.But he is part of the team here now. I play the bagpipes and he is even gradually becoming accustomed to that.'

Mr Sinclair said staff at Blackness Castle insist the carefree cat is one of a kind. He added: 'I've certainly never heard of any other pets roaming around castles.'

Blackness Castle was built in the 15th century when the area was the main port serving Linlithgow - a key base for the Scottish monarchy at the time.

The historic fortification was briefly used as an ammunition depot during the First World War before passing into the care of Historic Scotland.