The iconic Astor Theatre has a new cat on the block.
New cat, Duke, will Follow in the paw prints of the much-loved ‘Astor cat’, Marzipan, who sadly passed away in March 2013.
Duke, a black and white short-haired cat, will make the Astor his permanent home after being adopted from not-for-profit organisation The Lost Dogs’ Home.
Fittingly, given his new address, Duke is named after silver screen legend John Wayne.
Astor general manager, Zak Hepburn said: “When we picked him out, he was pretty relaxed and had such a nonchalant swagger that I immediately knew his name should be Duke,” he said.
“Since Palace took over the Astor, there have been so many enquiries as to whether we’d get another cat.
"While Marzipan is irreplaceable, we thought as this year has marked a new chapter for the Astor, why not give Duke a new chapter in his life? And support a worthy cause like Lost Dogs’ Home."
Lost Dogs' Home senior vet, Dr Alan Bolton, said it was great to see that Duke had found a new home at the Astor.
"It shows us that cats are adaptable to a range of different living situations and can fit in at offices and businesses," he said.
Hepburn welcomed filmgoers to come and meet the new tenant.
“Duke has yet to be here for a full film session or double feature, but we’ve got the feeling he’ll like Westerns,” he said.