York Cat Trail ®
ENTRY
Free
WHERE
York
What it’s like
A free self-guided hunt around York's streets to spot more than 30 hidden cat statues perched on buildings.
This is a spot-the-cat mission across the city, and it's free. Somewhere around 30 historic cat statues are fixed to buildings all over York, some by the architect Tom Adams, and the trail is just you and your eyes versus the rooftops and doorways. No app to fumble with, no queue, just a route to follow at whatever pace your legs and patience allow.
The full trail runs about 2.5 miles and takes roughly two hours at a gentle pace, which is a proper chunk of an afternoon and one to save for a day when everyone's got decent shoes on. If two hours sounds like a stretch with a small child in tow, there's a shorter 30 minute pedestrian friendly route that still gets you a good handful of cats without the full march. Either way it doubles up nicely with lunch or a wander round the shops, since you're covering the same streets anyway.
It's daily, 10am to 5pm, and there's no booking involved, so you can just turn up and start looking up at walls, which feels like exactly the right way to do this. The appeal here isn't a big attraction with a gift shop, it's the small thrill of actually spotting a cat you nearly walked straight past, and that's what people will remember on the walk home.
Need to know
- How long to allow
- Approximately two hours at a gentle pace for full route, or 30 minutes for shorter route
- The full route is 2.5 miles, so comfortable shoes make a real difference
- There's a shorter 30 minute version if two hours feels like too much
- The York Cat Directory lists the history behind each individual statue if you want more than just spotting them
- No app or booking needed, just start walking the route
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
It's free. There's no ticket or booking involved, you just follow the trail around the city.
How long does the trail take?
About two hours at a gentle pace for the full 2.5 mile route. There's a shorter 30 minute version if that's too much walking.
Do we need to book?
No, it's self-guided so you can start whenever suits, any day from 10am to 5pm.
Is it suitable for younger kids who can't walk far?
The shorter pedestrian friendly route takes about 30 minutes and covers less ground than the full 2.5 mile trail, so it's the easier option for smaller legs.
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