Worn but much loved, the very model of Felix the Cat

1:46pm Friday 6th July 2007

A BEDRAGGLED toy cat will come under scrutiny at the Bowes Museum this month.

A soft toy of Felix the Cat will be Object of the Month at museum in Barnard Castle.

The forlorn feline, given by one of its volunteers, is missing an eye, his whiskers are sparse and his fur worn, suggesting that he was well loved and played with when new in the 1920s.

The comic strip cat is considered to be the first true film cartoon star, having made his first appearance in a short film in the early 1900s called Feline Follies.

His appealing features endeared him to generations of fans and led to regular comic strip features in over 250 publications around the globe. Felix became so famous that he became Charles Lindbergh's lucky mascot on his historic transatlantic flight.

One of the museum's specialist curators will speak about the model of Felix in a series of Gallery Talks taking place every Thursday in July from 2.30.

Every month, curators highlight a different item that might otherwise be overshadowed by more familiar pieces.

The cost of the Gallery Talks is included in the admission price and there is no need to book.