Now the much-loved feline, who wandered the grounds of the Crematorium for 16 years, had his very own kitty cremation after he passed away.
Ashley’s cremation, which was carried out at a dedicated pet facility, was the first one ever done for a cat at the Worthing Borough Council run Crematorium.
The black-and-white tabby, fondly remembered by grieving visitors, was put down by a local vet when old age finally caught up with him.
Crematorium staff, who happily paid for Ashley’s food and water out of their own pockets, say the cat will be remembered fondly.
A spokesperson said: “He is already very much missed by all of the staff and he provided a significant amount of comfort to our bereaved visitors.
“He was a really big part of the crematorium.
“Staff are not sure quite how he ended up at the facility – he just arrived one day and decided to make the crematorium his home.”
Loving tributes to the friendly feline has been posted on the council’s Facebook page.
Nicole Marie Cuming, who visits her mum’s grave at the crematorium, said: “This breaks my heart.
“He was with me when I buried mum – he sat on my leg all the time and came to me when I put flowers down.
“He made me stop crying and feel calm for the last seven years when I went to see mum.
“A beautiful soft soul, sweet dreams and sleep soundly.”
Plans for the voluntarily run memorial service are underway and more than a dozen people are expected to attend and pay their respects to Ashley later this month.