DODGER the cat has become an international star after appearing in the Dorset Echo.

The ginger moggy appeared in last week’s paper in a tale about his exploits on buses around West Dorset.

National newspapers and TV as well as regional media and an Australian TV channel picked up the story.

Dodger’s owner Fee Jeanes said: “It’s been amazing.

“It has gone mad. We didn’t expect so much attention.

“Dodger is worn out.”

The moggy, who was named after the Artful Dodger from Oliver Twist, has been seen hopping on and off buses, sitting on passengers’ laps as they wait and devouring old sandwiches left at Bridport Bus Station.

His latest escapade saw him taking a trip to Charmouath and back and he is believed to have taken excursions along the Jurassic Coast on the X53.

But the cunning 15-year-old cat is not a stray – he goes back to his home in West Street to get fed and sleeps on his owner Fee’s bed every night.

Fee said the story was picked up by such national newspapers as the Express and the Daily Telegraph and the Daybreak breakfast TV show.

Dodger also made it onto the Today Show on Australian television.

Terry Rowsell, 63, of Beaminster, also got in touch after reading about Dodger. He said that he saw Dodger observing the two minutes’ silence on Armistice Day at 11am while walking through town with Colin Bowditch.

“We happened to arrive at the bus station just as it was 11am.

“The police were outside stood out to attention. I looked across to the garage and there was a bus driver showing his respect with a ginger cat stood next to him. It was very amusing.”