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Sid, honorary postmaster cat at Whonnock Post Office, passes away
Sid, a short‑haired orange cat, served as the honorary postmaster of the historic Whonnock Post Office in east Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Resident Paul Stanley appointed the 16‑year‑old feline to the role in March 2026 to encourage locals to keep using the rural post office amid Canada Post’s nationwide closures. The idea was modeled on Tama, the Japanese cat who acted as stationmaster at Kishi Station.
Sid died peacefully on July 28, 2026 after a period of medical issues. Stanley later learned the cat was actually six years older than initially thought, making him 22 at the time of death. He announced the loss online, thanked the community for their support, and said a new honorary postmaster cat will be selected. Sid’s hat, photographs and the postcards and stickers bearing his image were distributed free of charge to anyone who used the Whonnock Post Office.
Entities
Canada Post · Paul Stanley · Sid (cat) · Tama (cat) · Whonnock Post Office
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sid died peacefully on July 28, 2026 after medical issues. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sid wore a postmaster hat and his photos appeared on postcards and stickers given free to post office users. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sid was appointed in March 2026 to encourage use of the Whonnock Post Office. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] A new honorary postmaster cat will be appointed after Sid's death. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Paul Stanley, a Whonnock resident, announced Sid's death and created the honorary postmaster program. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sid was 16 years old at death, but later discovered to be six years older, making him 22. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The honorary postmaster program was inspired by Japanese cat Tama, former stationmaster of Kishi Station. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Sid, an orange short‑haired cat, served as honorary postmaster at the Whonnock Post Office in east Maple Ridge. todayinbc.com · mapleridgenews.com · missioncityrecord.com · peacearchnews.com