Manhattan ? How many people does it take to raise a cat? At a church near Manhattan, a whole congregation is pitching in.

That’s because Sedalia keeps returning to Sedalia Community Church even when families take the cat home.

So churchgoers started bringing the amenities to Sedalia. The cat now has a heated water dish, an insulated dog house and a heating pad. All keep Sedalia warm in the water.

Pastor Kevin Larson said the cat has no reason to leave.

The church isn’t quite sure where the cat came from, but several times Sedalia returned to the church after being taken home. Larson said Sedalia would just stroll back.

Sedalia has soft gray fur, amber eyes and a strong purr that intensifies when touched.

Some members brush Sedalia and once a year, Liz and Tom Lindquist take him to Little Apple Veterinary Hospital for shots. They first took him there in 2003.

Larson said the nearly 200 church members all seem to care for Sedalia. The interdenominational church is located about nine miles northwest of Manhattan.

The cat attends weddings, funerals, Bible studies and worship studies.

With all the food left out, other cats have shown up.

“A couple of kitties have found that he’s got it quite cushy in there, so they’ve joined him,” said Liz Lindquist.

On a cool day Sedalia can be found on the hood of a car or beneath them. The cat also rests near an annex by the 19th century stone church on a hill.

“It’s an interesting thing how the cat just showed up and decided to make its home,” Larson said. “It’s got lots of advantages.”