You can normally find him asleep in his basket under the vaulted splendour of his home, or washing his whiskers in the altar font.
From time to time he will strut haughtily past a congregation at prayer, patrolling his territory on the lookout for mice.
Louis the cat is so popular with folk at Wells Cathedral – home to the Bishop of Bath and Wells – that he has become the feline hero of a children's book, and even has his own merchandise stall in the cathedral shop.
Louis the cat is often found sleeping by his favourite radiator in Wells cathedral in Somerset
Louis, the 17-year-old Wells cathedral cat, sits in his basket at the gift shop - but local owners have accused him of turning nasty and attacking dogs 'like a wild lion'
The popular cat has been linked to at least three dogfights recently and locals fear there could be more
But yesterday the 17-year-old ginger tom's money-spinning empire was in danger of crumbling after he was accused of turning nasty – and attacking dogs 'like a wild lion'.
He has been linked to at least three fights with dogs in recent weeks and locals fear there could be more.
As news of the scandal spread, however, a 'Fans of Louis' group sprang to the moggy's defence.
And cathedral staff suggested he could be a victim of mistaken identity, quickly issuing a statement which claimed there were 'at least two other ginger cats in the area who also enjoy strolling through the streets of Wells'.
Louis became a regular sight at the cathedral after it adopted him as a stray ten years ago. His principal role was to rid the 12th century building of mice.
Such was the esteem in which the rather solitary cat was held, the cathedral generated a regular fund-raising trade in Louis fridge magnets, pencils, mugs and other Louis-related trinkets, including an £8.99 paperweight and a £5.99 candle-snuffer.
He would later star in a YouTube video narrated affectionately by the head verger.
Louis is so popular in Wells that he has become the subject of a children's book, Louis the Cathedral Cat
But out there on the mean streets, it is alleged, he became a dangerous, feral beast.
'He pounced like a wild lion in the jungle on to my dog Millie's head,' said Mandie Stone-Outten, describing his alleged attack on her springer spaniel outside the Present Company gift shop in the nearby Market Place.
'We were just looking in the window of the shop and the cat was sitting outside. He walked towards us. He was staring at the dog, the dog was staring at the cat.
'Then suddenly, so quickly, it was attacking my dog's head. He turned into a cat about four times the size and he was waving his arms around.
'I tried to pull the lead back, but I went flying back and fell off the pavement into the gully. It had been raining and I was covered in mud. It hurt all down my right side, it was so painful.
'A couple of people told me it was Louis the cathedral cat and that he was semi-feral and he did sometimes go a bit crazy.'
The 48-year-old, from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, added: 'I went back with my son and his girlfriend a couple of days later. We went into the cathedral and I saw the cat asleep in a basket sitting behind the till.
'We started stroking it and it was just like a little teddy bear. I couldn't believe that it was the same cat.
'That cat has serious issues. Be aware – this ball of fluff is not as cute and cuddly as he looks.'
