Mimi, Carlton’s corner cat, is alive, well and still radiant at 17

Long-time Carlton locals and Melbourne Uni alumni may remember a certain small tuxedo cat who held court for years on the corner of Faraday and Cardigan St. That cat is Mimi – now a remarkable 17 years old and still very much adored.

For years, Mimi could be found sunbathing by the green fence, greeting passers-by, and graciously accepting pats and the occasional treat. She became something of a neighbourhood fixture – so much so that curious fans created a Reddit thread and even a Facebook page dedicated to her.

A few years ago, Charli – once one of Mimi’s regular visitors on the corner, adopted her from her former owner. The decision came after she spotted a “for lease” sign on Mimi’s old corner and panicked at the thought she might have moved away.

She still laughs about it, “I couldn’t believe I had adopted a cat – I’m allergic to cats!”

“Six months in, Mimi kept walking over to her corner and spent the day there and I brought her in at night. It was like her 9-to-5," Charli told Inner City News.

In the years since, Mimi has gradually hung up her street-cat days in favour of the comforts of indoor life: a year in Thornbury, and a stint in North Fitzroy, before making a return to Carlton’s Canning St.

Now, with Mimi’s hearing fading, Charli doesn’t leave her out on the street, saying Mimi “wanders around the garden and sunny spots throughout the house.”

Asked to describe Mimi in three words, Charli answered: “loving, calming, curious”.

Mimi’s former owner still receives the occasional message asking where she went. So, for anyone who ever paused at that familiar patch of green fence and wondered: Mimi is safe, content, and still catching rays. •