Karl, an unassuming brown tabby with a judgmental glare, became a beloved figure in a quiet south London street, remembered for his unique toilet-training skill and his role as a neighbourhood companion. His owner, Nadya Smith, recalls how Karl, who learned to use a toilet during his time at Camberwell College of Arts, captured the hearts of locals and even received more condolence cards than her own mother after his tragic death in 2008.
A College-Educated Cat
Karl's journey began in the 1990s when he lived at Camberwell College of Arts, where he was mates with Nadya's first cat, Eric. After Eric passed away from stomach cancer in 2001, Nadya was given Karl by a friend moving back to Germany. Karl's most remarkable skill was his ability to use a toilet, a party trick he had picked up during his college days. He would climb onto the seat, lift his tail, and aim directly into the bowl, astonishing anyone who witnessed it.
Despite his seemingly moody demeanor, Karl was a social cat who formed connections with neighbours Nadya didn't even know. He would sit in the front garden for 'chats' with passersby, remembering their routines and waiting for daily pats. He even accompanied Nadya and her children on school runs, walking ahead with his belly swinging, waiting at the top of the road, and escorting her back home.
A Tragic Loss
In 2008, while Nadya was awaiting the birth of her third child, Karl was killed after being mauled by an unruly dog in the front garden. Neighbours who had played with him rushed out to Nadya's screams and stood with her as he died in her arms. The outpouring of grief was immense; Nadya received more condolence cards for Karl than when her mother died, and people walking past her house would ask, 'Where's the cat?'
Karl's partner, Tim, who had trained as a funeral director before becoming a chef, organized a fitting send-off. That same night, neighbours attended a funeral in the back garden, where they played music as Karl, in his shoebox coffin, was lowered into the ground.
A Lasting Memorial
Tim, using connections from his funeral director days, commissioned a plaque placed at cat height so that people who had knelt to stroke Karl could see it. When Nadya moved homes in 2019, she offered to remove the plaque, but the new tenants refused, ensuring that Karl's memory lives on. Nearly 20 years later, the legend of Karl, the toilet-training tabby, endures in that quiet suburban street.
