From feline to family: Meet Larri the fire station cat

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — One Wilmington cat has gone from stray feline to firefighting family member. Meet Larri the Station Cat, Wilmington Fire Station 7’s new mascot.

Just two months ago, firefighter Patrick Farwell says a hungry kitten pawed at Fire Station 7’s front door late at night.

“We started feeding her table scraps, little pieces of chicken,” Farwell remembered. “And then she would come back the next day and if we weren’t feeding her she would knock on the door and let us know she was out there.”

Table scraps turned into a car corner, complete with bowls, a bed, and a name.

According to Farwell, “We didn’t know she was a female. So we named her Larry and then decided to check which I guess is backwards. But Larry just kind of stuck. So now we say it’s Larri with an ‘I’.”

Love for Larri grew as firefighters across three shifts continued to take care of her, reading her books, playing, and even setting up an Instagram account for her, called “larrythestationcat“.

Farwell continued, “I think the image that people have of firefighters is these tough, gruff kind of guys. And I think she’s kind of proven we have a heartfelt side to us.”

As Larri gained a following, people across the nation began sending Amazon packages full of cat toys and treats. Farwell said they might even work on getting her some mini firefighting turnout gear.

“We joke that she’s like the safety officer making sure we’re doing everything safe. She watched us wash the trucks the other day. She’s just kind of there and always observing.”

Farwell acknowledged it’s silly how far the station has gone with Larri, but the job, while rewarding, can be difficult and dangerous. After a long day, it’s calming to settle down with some silliness.

“You know, it’s nice just to have her around. Sometimes you just come out and sit in the chairs, and sit with you. Just being there with you, that’s all she needs to do.”