In January 2018, a kitten named Noisette was found in Voivres, France, trying to board a train. An SNCF controller (France’s national state-owned railway company) picked him up and posted a picture of him on social media.
Thanks to the thoughtful employee and Twitter, the kitten was reunited with his owner in Le Man’s station.
Train controllers don’t just issue fines for not having a ticket. They are also of great help whenever you’re lost.
Noisette (meaning hazelnut in French) can testify to that. This lost kitten of a few weeks old found his owner with the assistance of controller Guillaume Chueca.
A placid passenger
On a Wednesday morning, Guillaume Chueca noticed a rather particular passenger at a train stop: a little feline standing alone. Initially, the controller decided to carry the puss off the train though Noisette wasn’t complying.
Guillaume told France bleu:
“I went to see the cat, took him with me, and took him outside the station, in a small grove next to the road. I returned to my train because I had the departure to give and the cat followed me, and he started to go under my train. So I took him with me, and I said, ‘little one, you go up; we’ll find a solution when we get to Le Mans.”
On the train, Noisette behaved like a regular passenger, sitting quietly on a bench serenely. Sometimes, he would let out a meow.
When they arrived at Le Man’s station, Guillaume put an orange vest on his traveler and went to the agents’ room.
Then, the controller posted the following message on Twitter:
“Passenger climbed to Voivres this morning. This kitten, who has already done his internship in the driving cab @TERPays2LaLoire, will be happy to find his family. Le Mans station is taking care of him and will hand him over to a veterinary service in the meantime. Thanks for keeping it running.”
Noisette returned home
The tweet was the right move, it garnered more than 3,700 retweets and likes, and about an hour and a half later, the mystery was resolved. Noisette found his mistress.
Guillaume Chueca explained that a Twitter user linked Guillaume’s post to a Facebook wanted photograph published two days prior. So the controller was able to track down the kitten’s owner, call her, and connect her with the Le Mans station’s staff.
Before ending his shift, Guillaume took the time to inform the Twitterverse of the happy conclusion of his story. He tweeted:
“Owner found and reached by phone. Noisette will be reunited with her family today. Happy for them to have done this good deed. Thank you, Twitter community, it’s thanks to you too!”
Not only did Noisette have a comfortable ride, but the feline didn’t even have to pay for the ticket. Lucky kitty!