Buxton Museum and Art Gallery cares for a naturally mummified cat donated by resident Maxine Chuwen after its discovery in a local building.
The cat was found in a ceiling cavity during renovations in 2017. Some dried cats found in buildings have been interpreted as folk charms intended to protect them, but why this particular cat was in the cavity is uncertain.
The cat fell from a ceiling during renovations at the former post office in The Quadrant and was saved from disposal by the building’s owner. Newspapers from the 1890s were reportedly found in the same space, but they do not establish when the cat was placed there.
When the cat was first acquired, collections development officer Joe Perry said staff had gently cleaned it and secured it in a sealed, low-humidity environment. He suggested a white residue that appeared on the skin might be salts.
The cat was subsequently displayed in the museum’s Wonders of the Peak gallery. The museum also tells the story of the Buxton cat online.
The museum now has a temporary home next to Buxton Library. Contact the museum to check which objects are currently on display.
derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/buxton-museum/buxton-museum-and-art-gallery
The museum is now in a temporary building next to Buxton Library on Kents Bank Road. Find Buxton Library on Google Maps.
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