A MUCH LOVED cat who became part of the congregation at a Bradford mosque has passed away. 

Snowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, has been part of daily prayers since the mosque’s grand extension in 2012.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Snowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, picturedSnowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, pictured (Image: UGC)

Snowy, who was 11 years old, started struggling to walk and his health declined in the late hours of Wednesday.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Adil Hussain, general secretary at JTI Victor Street Mosque, said: “Everyone was so used to Snowy. Everyone was so comfortable, they’d come and give him a stroke, and the kids would come in and start playing.”

During the pandemic, Snowy often fell asleep outside the mosque’s closed doors. 

“We knew we had to do a tribute," Adil said. 

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Snowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, picturedSnowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, pictured (Image: UGC/Adil Hussain)

It has sparked an outpouring of love from worshippers on the JTI Victor Street Mosque's Facebook page.

Ahsan Khan said: "Always used to see it when entering the masjid and taking my shoes off."

Azhar Hussain, who lives in Huddersfield, said: "I took my son to Victor Street Masjid to see Mufti Wajid Iqbal Sahib, after meeting our teacher my son saw the cat and instantly started to play with it."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Snowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, pictured outside the mosque's closed doors during the pandemicSnowy, the famous Victor Street Masjid cat, pictured outside the mosque's closed doors during the pandemic (Image: UGC/Adil Hussain)

Saireen Khanum said: "I saw a white cat like this in a garden across the road from your masjid on Monday, as I walked past it came running up to me and gave me lots of headbumps around my legs.

"I gave it some strokes and am wondering if this is the same cat. It was pure white and very loving and friendly. RIP Ameen."