FAMOUS CATS
‘There are no ordinary cats’
Colette
BAST (BASTET)
Date: approx 3000BC
Place: Ancient Egypt

Bast was not actually a cat herself but a cat-headed Egyptian
goddess who embodied all things graceful and beautiful about cats and had
mythical powers. Felines were revered and worshipped throughout much of the
ancient Mediterranean region because of their rodent killing abilities. There
are signs from archaeological digs in Cyprus that they may have first established
a tenuous bond with humans more than 8000 years ago, but it was not until about
4000BC that much evidence of true domestication appears. This evidence comes
particularly from the region of the Nile delta, and coincides with the emergence
of permanent settlements based around farming. There are indications that cats
were household pets as well as being valued for vermin control.
DELILAH
Date: 1980s
Place: Garden Lodge, London
Person: Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock group
Queen, loved cats and gave a home to many throughout his life, mostly from
animal shelters. He hated the close breeding associated with purebred cats,
having watched his beloved longhaired blue point Tiffany sicken and die from an
inbreeding induced problem. Freddie's favourite cat was undoubtedly
Delilah, subject and title of one of the best known songs on his last album
Innuendo, which was released in 1991 when the singer was entering the final
stages of HIV/AIDS. After his death, Delilah and the other cats remained in the
care of Freddie's long time partner Mary Austin.
DEWEY
Date: 1988-2006
Place: Spencer Library, Iowa
Dewey, or Dewey Readmore Books to give him his full
title, was dropped through the book returns chute of Spencer library one very
cold winter night in 1988. Staff found him the next morning and adopted him as
official library cat, a position he held until his euthanasia due to failing
health, nearly 18 years later. Dewey grew into a handsome individual and was
loved by staff and patrons alike for his friendliness and outgoing ways. He
regularly attended library meetings and was never happier than when greeting
people at the front desk. He featured in various books, magazines, films and TV
during his long life.
DICK WHITTINGTON'S CAT
Date: approx 1390
Place: London
Several versions of this folk tale exist. One is
that Dick Whittington was a poor orphan boy who went to London to seek
his fortune. A rich merchant, Mr Fitzwarren, took him in and gave him work as a
scullery boy. But Dick could not sleep because of all the rats, so he adopted a
cat who chased away and presumably ate some of the rats. This cat ended up being
sent to a far off land on one of Mr Fitzwarren's ships as an item of trade. Dick
Whittington ran away from his place of employment because of cruel treatment by
the cook. On his way out of London he heard the Bow
Bells ring out. 'Turn again Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London' chimed the
bells. Dick obeyed and went back to Mr. Fitzwarren's employment.
There, he learned that his cat had been sold for a great fortune to the King of
Barbary whose palace had been overrun with mice. Dick had become a rich man. In
time he married Mr. Fitzwarren's daughter Alice, and did become the Lord Mayor
of London three times, just as the bells had said.
FAITH
Date: 1936-1948
Place: St Augustine's and St Faith's
Church, Watling Street, London
Faith was a starving stray who wandered into St
Augustine's church and was evicted three times by the verger before the rector,
Father Ross, intervened and allowed her to stay. Faith became his special
companion in between mouse catching duties, even sitting at his feet in the
pulpit while he preached. Four years later, in 1940, she surprised everyone by
producing one kitten, Panda. One day about a month later, she kept 'asking'
Father Ross to open the basement door for her. When he finally did so, Faith
collected her kitten Panda and carried him down into the basement by the scruff
of the neck. Concerned, Father Ross carried the kitten
back upstairs again where it was warm, Faith protesting all the way. Three times
this happened and finally Father Ross gave in and let Faith and her kitten stay
in the basement in a space she had selected between stacks of old sheet music.
Three nights later there was a heavy air raid and
the church was severely damaged. Father Ross searched frantically amongst the
rubble for the cats, despite the risk of the roof falling in. Finally he
heard a faint miaow and quickly removed a pile of still smouldering debris to
reveal the two cats, dirty but unharmed. Overjoyed, Father Ross had
the following tribute placed beneath a photo of Faith on the chapel wall:
"Faith"
Our dear little church cat of St. Augustine and St. Faith.
The bravest cat in the world.
On Monday, September 9th, 1940, she endured horrors and perils
beyond the power of words to tell.
Shielding her kitten in a sort of recess in the house (a spot
she selected three days before the tragedy occurred), she
sat the whole frightful night of bombing and fire, guarding her
little kitten.
The roofs and masonry exploded. The whole house blazed. Four
floors fell through in front of her. Fire and water and ruin
all round her.
Yet she stayed calm and steadfast and waited for help.
We rescued her in the early morning while the place was still
burning, and
By the mercy of Almighty God, she and
her kitten were not only saved, but unhurt.
God be praised and thanked for His goodness
and mercy to our dear little pet.
Although as a civilian cat she was not eligible for the Dickin Medal awarded to
animals for bravery under fire, Faith still came to the attention of Maria
Dickin, who determined she should be presented with a special silver medal. So
it was that in 1945 Faith received this medal from Mrs Dickin in the company of
no less a personage than the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Citation read:
From the P.D.S.A. to Faith of St. Augustine's, Watling Street, E.C.
For steadfast courage in the Battle of London, September 9th, 1940.
(Reference: Faith, the London Church Cat,
Purr-n-fur.org.uk)
FOSS
Date: 1872-1887
Place: San Remo, Italy
Person: Edward Lear
Edward Lear, one of 21 children and famous writer of nonsense verse and
limericks, died in 1888, only two months after his beloved cat Foss, whom he'd
had buried beneath a large tombstone in his garden.
Foss was a tabby cat who was
introduced to the household as a kitten in 1872. He had a shortened tail due to
a superstitious servant cutting it off supposedly to prevent him straying. For
this and other reasons, Foss was reportedly not an attractive cat, but he became
well known because he frequently featured in Lear's cartoons, in particular the
whimsical "Edward Lear at 73˝. His cat Foss
at 16."

When Lear moved to a
new house due to their view of the Mediterranean becoming obstructed, he
instructed the architects to design it as an exact replica of his previous one.
This was to ensure that Foss "would find the rooms suitable for
exploring, the shade suitable for sleeping, the gardens suitable for hunting",
as he was used to in the old house.
HODGE
Date: around 1750
Place: 17 Gough Square, London
Person: Samuel Johnson

Hodge was the much loved cat of Samuel Johnson, the
famous lexicographer. It was at a period, one of several in history, when cats were
ill-favoured, in fact were even described at that time as being very lowly examples of the leonine
race. Hence Johnson himself used to buy Hodge's favourite food for him (oysters)
in case the servants, if asked to do so, became resentful of the cat. James
Boswell, great friend of Samuel Johnson but non-cat lover, remarked one day that
Hodge was a very fine specimen, a sentiment echoed by Johnson who agreed he was
"a very fine cat indeed". Hence the statue of Hodge, unveiled in 1997, bears
those very words as part of the inscription.
HUMPHREY
Date: 1989-2006
Place: No. 10 Downing Street, London

Humphrey was a longhaired black-and-white ex-stray
who took up his position as Mouser to the Cabinet Office at No. 10 Downing St in
October 1989. Maggie Thatcher was still PM and Humphrey was, in fact, to
maintain his tenure throughout her successor John Major's term in office.
Humphrey was described as a laid back and relaxed cat while still maintaining
the aloofness and dignity of his kind, being unphased even by royalty. He
had various adventures, including being mistaken for a stray and 'catnapped' by
a well-meaning German travel agent, who duly returned him on discovering his
true identity.
Humphrey and the next incumbents of No. 10 Downing
St, the Blairs, reportedly did not get on. He was spirited away to retirement at
a secret address in a south London suburb where he lived the remainder of his
life very happily. In March 2006 it was reported that Humphrey had died
peacefully in his sleep at the grand age of 18.
(Reference: Downing Street Cats,
Purr-n-fur.org.uk)
JOCK
Date: 1962-1974
Place: Chartwell, Kent, England
Person: Sir Winston Churchill

Jock was Sir Winston Churchill's final cat, in fact
he was only two years old when Churchill died in 1965. Jock always sat in a
nearby chair while his boss worked on his memoirs or took his meals and can be seen sitting on
Churchill's knee in photos taken at his grandson Winston's wedding in 1964. Jock
lived on at Chartwell until 1974 and is buried in the pet cemetery in the
grounds.
Sir Winston and Lady Clementine were both animal
lovers, but the great British prime minister was described as being "silly" about cats,
particularly marmalade (ginger) ones. He requested in his will that there should
always be a marmalade cat named Jock at Chartwell, the stately home where
Churchill died and which was subsequently left to the National Trust. Jock III
is the present incumbent, he is well cared for by the staff and also catches the
odd mouse. (Reference: The
Churchill Center www.winstonchurchill.org)
MORRIS
Date: 1960-1978
Place: Chicago
Person: Bob Martwick
There were two famous advertising cats trained by
Bob Martwick – Morris I and Morris II. Martwick found Morris I the day he was to
be euthanazed in an animal shelter and christened him Lucky; it was only later
that he was renamed Morris. Martwick knew immediately that Lucky's rough diamond
appearance (added to by a torn eyelid received in a fight) was exactly the
'macho cat' image 9-Lives pet food company were seeking for their advertising
campaign. After several other cats had been presented, Martwick sent Lucky into
the boardroom alone, knowing that the laidback cat would immediately demand
centre stage.

“He jumped on the table … and he walked right up to the art director, the big
cheese, and bumped him in the head. And then Morris just sat back,” Martwick
said in 1995, years after the original Morris died. “The art director said,
‘This is the Clark Gable of cats’. ”
Morris made 58 commercials, featured in two books
and traveled many miles making appearances throughout the United States and
Canada. He was featured on “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”, and as the
presumed model for the cartoon cat Garfield, appeared in public with Jim Davis,
the creator of Garfield.
MR BISMARCK
Date: 1870s
Place: London
Person: Florence Nightingale
Mr Bismarck was just one of the reputed 17 cats that shared their lives with
Florence Nightingale after she returned to London from the Crimean War. She
described him as "the most sensitive of cats" and his paw prints frequently
marched across her correspondence. Other members of her feline family included Big Pussie, Tom, Topsy, Tib,
Gladstone, Mrs Tit, Mr Muff, Quiz. Nightingale was chronically ill in later
years and took refuge in her cats who, she said, possessed much more sympathy
and feeling than human beings. When she died in 1910, it was no surprise to
learn
she had made provision for her remaining cats in her will.
(Reference: the writings of Mark Bostridge)
MUEZZA
Date: 570-632
Place: Mecca, Medina
Person: Mohammed
Cats were loved by the Prophet Mohammed, and were protected and respected
throughout the Islamic world. Muezza was the Prophet's favourite cat. A famous
story concerns Mohammed cutting off the sleeve of his robe on which Muezza was
sleeping, rather than disturb the cat. Also Mohammed is said to have favoured
using water that Muezza had drunk from for performing wudu (partial
ablution prior to prayers). Another famous story concerns a female cat who saved
Mohammed from being bitten by a deadly snake. The Prophet patted her in grateful
thanks, the imprint of his fingers leaving dark stripes which are still visible
on the heads of many cats today.
NORA
Date: Present (2008)
Place: New Jersey, U.S.
Visit Nora's
site to learn all there is to know about this incredible piano-playing puss.
Nora was "adopted from a shelter, taught herself to sit at the piano and play
notes, became an internet sensation on YouTube and then went on to become a
world-wide media star – all before the age
of four". (From
Nora the
Piano CatTM )

OSCAR
Date: 2007
Place: Steere House Nursing Home,
Providence, Rhode Island

Oscar is one of the resident pets kept at the Steere
House hospice as part of the therapy program for the elderly patients. He has the unusual ability of being able to predict when one of them is going to die. His record stands at more than 25 accurately
predicted deaths. He moves from room to room on his daily rounds before
selecting a person to curl up beside. Almost invariably this person is at the
end stage of their illness and too ill
to notice the cat and dies within the next few hours.
Vets and other scientists believe there is a biochemical explanation for Oscar's
unusual ability, perhaps there is a smell or aura associated with impending death
which is only discernible to cats. (Ref: Wikipedia)
SIMON
Date: 1949
Place: HMS Amethyst
Simon was ship's cat aboard the
HMS Amethyst. He was
wounded during the Yangtze Incident in 1949, which resulted
in the deaths of 25
crew and their commanding officer. Simon recovered to
resume his rat-killing duties, and was promoted to the
rank of 'Able Seacat' Simon. He was awarded the
Amethyst campaign ribbon in a special ceremony on deck. The
following Citation was read:
'Able Seacat Simon, for distinguished and meritorious
service on HMS Amethyst, you are hereby awarded the
Distinguished Amethyst Campaign Ribbon.
Be it known that on April 26, 1949, though recovering from
wounds, when HMS Amethyst was standing by off Rose Bay you
did single-handedly and unarmed stalk down and destroy 'Mao
Tse Tung', a rat guilty of raiding food supplies which were
critically short.'
Unfortunately Simon died from an
infection shortly after the ship returned to Britain. It is
possible his earlier war wounds had weakened his heart and/or
immune system. His
obituary appeared in The Times and tributes flowed in. He was
buried with full naval honours in the PDSA animal cemetery at
Ilford. Simon was awarded the Dickin Medal posthumously, for
gallantry under enemy fire. He is the only cat so far to have
won this award for bravery. He was also awarded the Blue Cross
posthumously.
The monument on his grave is inscribed:
IN
MEMORY OF
"SIMON"
SERVED IN
H.M.S. AMETHYST
MAY 1948 — SEPTEMBER 1949
AWARDED DICKIN MEDAL
AUGUST 1949
DIED 28TH NOVEMBER 1949.
THROUGHOUT THE YANGTZE INCIDENT
HIS BEHAVIOUR WAS OF THE HIGHEST ORDER
(Reference: Famous Felines. Purr-n-fur.org.uk)
SIZI
Date: 1930s onwards
Place: Lambarene, Gabon, Africa
Person: Dr Albert Schweitzer
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of
life: music and cats". So said Dr Albert Schweitzer, German medical missionary
and 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. He was friend to and rescuer of many animals
during his years at his clinic in Lambarene in Africa,
but the cat Sizi was to hold a special place in his heart for 23 years. Rescued from
beneath a building being constructed at the hospital, her favourite
sleeping place became his desk and she would frequently fall asleep on his left
arm, requiring the left-handed doctor to write with his right hand rather than
disturb her.

"By ethical conduct towards all creatures, we enter into a spiritual
relationship with the universe."
– Albert Schweitzer
SLIPPERS
Date: 1906
Place: The White House
A grey cat who reportedly had six toes (hence his name), Slippers was often absent
from his post as White House cat, but had an uncanny knack of appearing
whenever there was a big diplomatic function. On one such occasion the President
was leading a procession of ambassadors and other dignitaries along a corridor
from the State Dining Room when suddenly they were all forced to stop. The
reason was Slippers, unconcernedly stretched full length on the carpet. On seeing his audience,
he started to roll around and purr with delight. Slippers was
right in the middle of the passageway but there was no thought of moving him.
Instead the President and all his guests simply stepped around him, paying their
respects as they did so.
(Reference: Slippers: The White House Cat, by Jacob A Riis)
Footnote: Other 'First Cats' have included Miss Pussy (Rutherford B Hayes), Valeriano Weyler and Enrique
DeLome (William McKinley), Tom Quartz (Theodore Roosevelt), Puffins (Woodrow
Wilson), Tiger (Calvin Coolidge), Tom Kitten (John F Kennedy), Shan (Gerald
Ford), Misty Malarky Ying Yang (Jimmy Carter), Socks (Bill Clinton),
India (George W Bush).
SNOWBALL and his descendants
Date: 1935 - present
Place:
Key West, Florida
Person: Ernest Hemingway
Snowball was a polydactyl (6-toed) cat given to
Ernest Hemingway in 1935 by a ship's captain. He was much loved by Hemingway and
left a legacy of polydactyl descendants, some of which are amongst the 60 or so
cats still living today at the famous author's old home and grounds, now a
museum, on Key West. The care and feeding of the cats is paid for by the museum,
with some sponsorship from e.g. pet food companies. A vet checks the cats
regularly. Most are desexed, but a small number of kittens are bred annually as
replacements. They are never sold or given away.
THOMASINA
Date: 1957
Place: Scotland
Person: Paul Gallico
Thomasina is a fictional puss but so well portrayed by creator Paul Gallico that
fans of his writing believe her to be embodied in every living cat. Her story is set in rural Scotland
in the 1950s where she is the beloved companion of Mary Ruadh MacDhui. Mary is
the daughter of widowed veterinarian Andrew MacDhui, a bitter man who has
developed a hatred for his calling and his patients. He is resentful of Thomasina's place in his daughter's affections and has her destroyed. As a
result, Mary becomes seriously ill with grief and almost dies. Enter the
beautiful and compassionate Lori, the Red Witch of the Glen, and the cat goddess
herself, Bast-Ra, and you have an enchanting story of redemption,
forgiveness and love.
Thomasina the book rightfully deserves to be called a classic. It has been loved
by millions since its first publication in 1957. Many cat lovers will say that Bast
has walked beside them ever since they first read this magical book ....
(Reference: Thomasina by Paul Gallico)
TOWSER
Date: 1963-1987
Place: Glenturret Distillery, Crieff, Scotland

Towser was a longhaired tortoiseshell who for almost 24 years held the position of
chief mouser at Glenturret distillery, where Scotland's renowned Famous Grouse
whisky is made. Towser's kill tally of mice was so remarkable that she is in the
Guinness Book of Records. Her exploits are commemorated on a plaque below
her statue at the Glenturret visitors centre.
The inscription reads:
Towser - 21 April 1963-30 March 1987
Towser, the famous cat who lived in the still house, Glenturret Distillery,
for almost 24 years.
She caught 28,899 mice in her lifetime. World mousing champion, Guinness
Book of Records.
There is a story that Towser's amazing hunting skills were assisted by a
wee dram of Famous Grouse in her milk each day. Dylan, a ginger from Forfar, and
Brooke, a black and white female from Cardyke, have proved worthy replacements
for Towser. They were selected from several cat protection society candidates,
the runners-up also finding good homes. (Reference: Famous
Felines. Purr-n-fur.org.au)
TRIM
Date: 1799-1804
Place: Australia and the oceans of
the world
Person: Matthew Flinders
Born aboard The Reliance in 1799 en route to Botany Bay, Trim was the
much loved companion of explorer Matthew Flinders. Cat and man circumnavigated
the globe between the years 1799-1804 and
had many adventures, including being
shipwrecked for two months. It was death that finally parted them after Flinders
was arrested on the island of Mauritius in 1804. With great reluctance but
thinking only of the cat, Matthew agreed to give him to a family on the island.
Unfortunately within a fortnight Trim had disappeared, never to be seen again.
It was almost certain that he had been eaten by some hungry black slave.
Trim was described by Matthew Flinders as “the best and most illustrious of his
race, the most affectionate of friends, faithful of servants and best of
creatures.” In final acceptance of the cat’s death, he said “Never, my Trim, to
take thee all in all, shall I see thy like again.”
On 28 March 1966, Rear-Admiral David Campbell unveiled a bronze statue of Trim
in Sydney. It sits on the windowsill of the Mitchell Library in Macquarie
Street, just behind the imposing statue of Matthew Flinders himself.
(Reference: Trim by Matthew
Flinders)
UNSINKABLE SAM
Date: 1940s
Place: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (portrait)

Oscar was ship's cat on the German battleship Bismarck.
His job, like others of his ilk, was to keep the rodent population under
control. Ship's cats were also valued as companions and reminders of home for
sailors, who were often at sea for long periods. When the Bismarck was
sunk in 1941, Oscar was rescued along with the survivors and became ship's cat on
HMS Cossack. This ship was also torpedoed some months later and again
Oscar, now known as Sam,
was amongst those rescued. He had yet another posting as ship's cat, this time
aboard HMS Ark Royal, but she too was torpedoed and sent to the bottom.
Sam/Oscar was rescued yet again. Now rechristened Unsinkable Sam, it was decided to give
him a safer job ashore, hence he found himself in charge of rodent control in
the Governor General of Gibraltar's office. From there he was eventually retired
to the Home for Sailors in Belfast, where he died in 1955.
(Reference: Unsinkable Sam, Wikipedia)
WASIM
Date: 1982-1999
Place: Queensland, Australia

Wasim may not have been famous on the world stage but he was
a true "cat of the heart".
Read his story ... here >
WHITE HEATHER
Date: Late 1800s
Place: Buckingham Palace
Person: Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria is usually portrayed as having been
an austere woman in keeping with her reign and lacking in humour ("we are not
amused"). However, she was a noted animal lover and she and her dearly lamented
late husband, Prince Albert, offered a warm and loving home to many cats. She truly doted on her last cat, White Heather, who, on her orders, remained
living in the lap of luxury at Buckingham Palace long after the queen herself
had died. White Heather is variously described as having been fluffy,
black-and-white, persian or angora.
WILBERFORCE
Date: 1970-1988
Place: 10 Downing St, London
Wilberforce was the cat with the longest tenure at No. 10. He served as Chief
Mouser to the Cabinet Office under successive prime ministers Edward Heath,
Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan and Margaret Thatcher. He was a black-and-white
refuge kitten who took office with Tory PM Edward Heath in 1970 and died at
Downing Street in 1988. Margaret Thatcher is said to have bought him a tin of
sardines in Moscow. Humphrey, the next Downing Street cat, arrived towards the
end of the Thatcher reign in 1989.
WILHELMINA
Date: 1860s
Place: London
Person: Charles Dickens
The famous author Charles Dickens was a great cat lover. One of his favourites was
William, a stray he and his wife took in. The name change to Wilhelmina (or
Willamena) occurred when William produced a litter of kittens. Dickens kept at
least one of the kittens and named her Master's Cat. The desk he wrote at daily
is on display to the public and shows small claw marks
– the result of either Wilhelmina or her
daughter's efforts to get the great author to take more notice of them. Master's Cat would also
snuff the candle he was working by if she wanted his undivided attention. One of
many famous Dickens quotes is: "What greater gift than the love of a cat?"
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