Meet Nimis, The Adorable Cat Who’s ‘Patrolling’ Amsterdam In A Police Vest

The cutest police officer is leaving people smiling, snapping photos, and asking if he’s really on duty.

His name is Nimis, and he’s a local celebrity in Amsterdam.

Nimis is a black cat adopted by a couple who live on a houseboat. To keep him safe while he makes his daily “patrols,” they got him a bright yellow life vest—making him look just like a little officer on duty. Not long after, he even got a matching police patch that keeps people guessing: is he the real deal?

Scroll down and see for yourself.

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Bored Panda reached out to Lydia, who shared more about Nimis and his life vest.

First of all, she told how Nimis adapted to wearing this jacket. “Nimis actually adjusted surprisingly quickly! As a kitten on our houseboat, he clearly needed protection—canals can be deadly if a cat falls in and can’t climb out. I fitted him with a bright yellow life jacket when he was very young. At first, he was a bit puzzled, but he never resisted—now he runs to the door in the morning, eager for me to put it on before he heads out.”

Lydia also shared if the life jacket has become more of a practical tool or a fun costume.

“It’s definitely still practical—he’s fallen in the water a few times, and the life jacket has literally saved him. But as he grew into the role and neighbors began calling him the “neighborhood police officer,” he took on a fun, custom-like charm. So these days it’s a bit of both: safety first, but with extra flair.”

“Neighbors affectionately called him the local cop because of his bright vest, so I thought, why not lean into it?”

“I was shocked by how quickly it took off! We went viral—millions of views—and cops actually started asking to take pictures with Nimis. It was total, delightful chaos.”

Nimis has gained attention not only from the neighbors, but tourists and people online. We asked how he reacts to it.

“He’s a social little guy. Nimis struts around, he loves being petted and posing. Locals smile and greet him.”

“They usually fall for it and laugh. Official officers are super friendly—they snap pics, greet him, and treat him like one of their own. Nimis seems to enjoy the attention—isn’t shy at all.”

“One time, his brother Tommie got chased up the tree by our houseboat by a dog and couldn’t get out. Nimis positioned himself faithfully under the tree, looking up. I had to call the fire brigade and it was quite a thing going up on the mechanic ladder getting Tommie out. Nimis didn’t move from his observing spot until Tommie was saved back onto the ground. Good cooperation between police cat and the fire brigade! Another thing that really touches me is the visitors I receive from all over the world. One time a lady from Brazil came to the boat. She had lost her husband recently and the videos of Nimis had been such a comfort for her, she decided to travel to Amsterdam to see him for real. He really means something to people. And that means something to me. It motivates me to keep making these videos of Nimis.”