While most employers require their security staff to be physically and mentally strong, this hospital in Richmond, Australia, chose to waive that qualification for one adorable applicant – a cat.
Meet Elwood, an orange-white tabby feline who’s also the newest member of Epworth Hospital’s security team. While most guards look tough, Elwood is quite the opposite because he’s so cuddly! Despite looking like a total softie, this cat does his best to keep peace within the hospital premises. And he gets the best reward for it – lots of love and attention from patients and his coworkers.
One hospital staff who can’t get enough of Elwood’s cuteness is Chantel Trollip, a pathologist at the facility. She first noticed the tabby a year ago when she began working more shifts. The cat was a constant presence around the hospital’s main entrance, where he likes to spend most of his time relaxing.
One day in July 2020, Chantel noticed something different about the feline. Instead of the usual collar with a tiny bell, she spotted Elwood wearing something else – an ID badge.
That’s when Chantel realized that the cat was the building’s newest security guard. The ID he was sporting was the same as the one that everyone at Epworth was wearing. It even had its own call code on the back.
“I was actually having a case of the ‘sads’ that day,” Chantal told Modern Met. “But seeing his ID badge turned my whole mood around!”
It’s unknown who made the badge for Elwood, but it looks hilariously legitimate. It had his picture, name, and job title, and the cat looks so proud while wearing it around the hospital premises.
He might not look as strong as the other security staff, but the cat’s charm is enough to disarm anyone who might want to create trouble.
“I think any potential criminals are thwarted by his sweetness when passersby see him,” Chantel said. “He has a very sweet chirp of a meow and I think anyone with any ill will would automatically change their plans upon hearing it, and so I assume this is his way of getting the job done.”
At first, the staff thought Elwood was a stray. However, they recently learned that he just lived across the street with his family and a twin brother named Jake.
It seems like the cat is a strong candidate for “Employee of the Year” because he shows up for work every single day. Elwood also takes his job seriously and doesn’t take advantage of his opportunity to get unlimited pets and hugs.
“He is lovely and friendly but not overly affectionate, he enjoys a good pat but likes to keep things short and move around a fair bit,” Chantel described him. “He is on the security team after all, has to make sure everyone coming and going gets checked.”
So far, Elwood hasn’t tried to get inside the hospital. To make sure he has something to quench his thirst from the heat outside, someone took an old kidney dish from the hospital and turned it into a water bowl for him.
Elwood has been a welcome presence in the facility since his innate cuteness makes the usually tense aura in the hospital feel lighter.
“He’s all we talk about! Even the regular patients know him by name now,” Chantel said. “It’s so nice to see him and pet him on our way in or out from work.”
I think we can all agree that Elwood is the cutest “security cat” we’ve ever seen! Give your family and friends something to smile about and share this story with them.