A beloved cat who became a familiar face at Keighley railway station and businesses across the town is fighting a rare illness after concerned locals realised his sudden disappearance was not part of his usual adventures.
Coco, affectionately known as the "Keighley Train Station Cat", has become something of a local celebrity over the past four years.
He was seen regularly visiting the railway station, nearby shops, businesses, a taxi rank, Keighley College and even Asda.
But people began to worry when Coco suddenly stopped making his daily rounds around seven weeks ago.
At the time of writing, a GoFundMe appeal launched to support his treatment has raised more than £6,000.
The story behind 'Keighley Train Station Cat'
Andrea Green, who works at Office Furniture Outlet at Eagle Mill on Dalton Lane in Keighley, said Coco first began visiting her business several years ago.
"We didn't know he had a home," she said.
"He used to come and sit in the office every day. We'd give him treats and he became part of the furniture company. We called him our company mascot and we actually called him Dave."
'The most adventurous outdoor exploring cat you've ever met'
For more than a year, staff believed Coco might be a stray, as he would spend hours at the business before wandering off elsewhere.
It was only after he was scanned for a microchip that they discovered he belonged to a nearby resident.
As his daily adventures continued, Coco became increasingly well known around Keighley.
"He visits us, he visits the train station, he visits the college, he's even been to Asda," Ms Green said.
"Now he's started calling in at the taxi rank as well...honestly, he's the most adventurous outdoor exploring cat you've ever met."
Concern grows when Coco stops appearing
For a cat known for turning up every day, the unexplained absence quickly sparked concern.
Ms Green said: "A week went by and I started getting worried...we hadn't seen him and that's out of the norm. He turns up every day...people at the train station were messaging asking, 'Have you seen Dave?'"
Among those concerned was train station worker Tamara George, who had often shared pictures of Coco online and helped build his local following.
Finally, Ms Green was able to contact Coco's owner, Nazia Nazir, and find out what had happened.
Rare diagnosis shocks supporters
The answer proved heart-breaking.
Veterinary examinations revealed Coco was suffering from Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), a serious disease caused by a mutation of feline coronavirus.
He was also diagnosed with pancreatitis and required extensive veterinary treatment, including scans, blood tests and medication, and Ms Green said the costs quickly mounted.
She said: "The treatment alone was around £3,000 - Nazia was beside herself. she said, 'I can't lose him.'"
Determined to help both Coco and his owner, Ms Green and Tamara launched a GoFundMe appeal.
"We thought if we got a few hundred pounds it would help," Ms Green said.
"We never imagined what happened next."
Community donates thousands
Within days, donations began pouring in from across the community.
The fundraiser soon attracted attention from social media users who had come to know Coco through his station appearances - making many appearances on Tiktok.
"We were buzzing when it got to a few hundred pounds," Ms Green said.
"Then somebody donated £200. Then somebody donated £1,000. We just couldn't believe it."
The appeal has now raised enough money to cover his course of treatment and contribute towards mounting veterinary bills.
Ms Green added: "We really are blown away with people's generosity and cannot thank them enough"
Signs of recovery
Coco is currently undergoing a 12-week course of medication and has completed around four weeks of treatment.
According to Ms Green, there are encouraging signs that the famous feline is responding well.
She explained: "His stomach has gone down a lot, he's had more tests and his levels are gradually coming down, [but] it's not an overnight thing. We've still got weeks of treatment left, but there are small improvements."
While Coco remains away from his beloved station platform and favourite local haunts for now, supporters are hopeful he will soon return to greeting commuters and making his daily rounds.
Ms Green said: "We're all missing him, We want to see him back at the train station, meeting people again and putting smiles on people's faces."
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