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<h1>Bus-riding cat Casper killed in hit & run</h1>
<div class="byline"> <abbr title="2010-01-21T10:01:37-0800"
class="timedate">Thu Jan 21</abbr></div>
<br>
<p>LONDON (Reuters) – A cat which became famous in Britain for riding
on the buses around the southern English city of Plymouth has died
after being run over, media reported.</p>
<p><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1264097031_0">Casper</span>, a
12-year-old black and white cat, used to wait with commuters at a bus
stop outside his home and then hop on to the number 3 bus to find a
seat to curl up on.</p>
<p>The cat was so well-known on the service that drivers knew at which
stop to let him off.</p>
<p>Casper's death was announced on a notice put up at his bus stop by
his owner, the BBC and local newspapers reported.</p>
<p>"Many local people knew Casper, who loved everyone -- he also
enjoyed the bus journeys," it said.</p>
<p>"Sadly a motorist hit him and did not stop. Casper died from his
injuries. He will be greatly missed...he was a much loved pet who had
so much character. Thank you to all those who befriended him."</p>
<p>The bus service, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1264097031_1">First
Devon and Cornwall</span>, said it was "devastated" by the cat's death.</p>
<p>"Casper touched many people's lives and clearly had a very exciting
life traveling around Plymouth and who knows where else," a company
spokeswoman said in a statement.</p>
<p>"I suspect he's now exploring heaven and is telling all the other
cats up there about the many adventures he had."</p>
<p>A picture of the cat will continue to be used on one of the
company's buses, it said.</p>
<p>Casper's owner, 55-year-old Susan Finden, who re-homed him from a
rescue center in 2002, said he had always been a free spirit and was
named after the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1264097031_2">cartoon
character</span> <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1264097031_3">Casper
the Friendly Ghost</span>, because of his habit of wandering off.</p>
<p>The website for local newspaper The Herald said it had received
tributes from around the world.</p>
<p>"Casper was a special cat and he had a wonderful life. He will be
missed in the Netherlands too," Jelle from <span class="yshortcuts"
id="lw_1264097031_4">Holland</span> wrote.</p>
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