This is a list of famous cats which achieved some degree of popularity either in their own right or by association with someone famous.
Before the modern era
Nedjem or Nojem (Egyptian: nḏm "Sweet One" or "Sweetie"), 15th century BC. The cat of Puimre, second priest of Amun during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut. Depicted on a damaged relief from Puimre's tomb, Nedjem is the earliest known cat to bear an individual name.[1][2]
Pangur Bán (Old Irish "White Pangur"; the meaning of the latter word is unclear), 8th-9th century AD. The cat of an otherwise unknown Irish monk, who wrote a poem cataloguing the similarities between the cat's character and his own.
Ta-Miu (Egyptian: tꜣ mjw "She-Cat"), 14th century BC. The cat of Crown Prince Thutmose, mummified after her death and buried in a decorated sarcophagus in Prince Thutmose's own tomb following his own early demise.[3]
Hamish McHamish (1999 – 11 September 2014), a long-haired ginger cat that was adopted by the citizens of the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and has had a statue built in his honour. Something of a local feline celebrity with tourists and students, he became famous after the publication of a book titled "Hamish McHamish: Cool Cat About Town". In 2013, a bronze statue was crowd funded in his honour, unveiled in April 2014.
Tabby and Dixie, Abraham Lincoln's cats. Lincoln once remarked that Dixie "is smarter than my whole cabinet."[10]
Tiger and Blacky, US President Calvin Coolidge's cats when he and his family lived in the White House. Coolidge was known for hiding the cats about the house, prior to and during his presidency, leaving his wife, Grace Coolidge, to find and rescue them.[11]
Hank the Cat, a Maine Coon that ran for Senate in the state of Virginia in the 2012 US elections. He finished in third place behind winner Democrat Tim Kaine.[12]
Sweet Tart, a 9-year-old tabby, was elected to a three-year term as Mayor of the town of Omena, Michigan in July 2018. Sweet Tart prevailed over a field that included another cat, 13 dogs, a goat, a peacock, and a chicken. Two dogs, Diablo Shapiro and Punkin Anderson-Harden, were elected Vice-Mayor and Second Vice-Mayor respectively.[13]
Jorts and Jean, cats in a viral 2021 Reddit post who became organized labor advocates on Twitter.[18][19]
Kebab Shop Cat (UK), the cat of comedy writer Thom Phipps, whose tweet about it visiting the local kebab shop went viral after it was copied by VICE writer Sam Kriss to his account.[20]
Tara (US), a family cat from Bakersfield, California, who saved a four-year-old boy from a dog attack in 2014, and became a "viral Internet sensation" when household surveillance footage was published.[23]
Zoe the Cat, PhD, a cat accredited by the American Psychotherapy Association, as part of a commentary about the state of accreditation within the industry by Dr. Steve Eichel.[24]
Kittisaurus cat family (South Korea), also known as the Cream Heroes, is a YouTube channel portraying the life of ten cats: ChuChu, Coco, DD, LaLa, LuLu, MoMo, TT, NaNa, ToTo, and DoDo; and their human companion, Claire. They can be seen in various situations of domestic life and visits to the vet are also reported, as it intends to spread awareness and share information on the achondroplasia disease which affects LuLu, as well as TT's issues with kidneys due to her poor drinking habits.[26] LuLu is the cat portrayed in both famous Internet memes "Oh Lawd He Comin'" and "The Roman Empire (a lion) and Italy (LuLu)".
Smudge, also known as "Table Cat", who became part of the woman yelling at a cat Internet meme in 2019. The meme consisted of a screencap of a woman pointing angrily from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills paired with a picture of Smudge at a dining table, seemingly looking confused.[27] Smudge has since amassed a large Internet following, with over 1.4 million followers on Instagram.
Stepan, a Ukrainian cat with more than one and a half million followers on Twitter and Instagram.
Big Floppa, or simply Floppa, is an internet meme based around a Russian caracal cat named Gosha.
Thurston Waffles, a white cat known for his distinctive, screaming meows, which became a renowned meme and gained popularity in 2019. He died on the 8th September 2022 from nasal cancer.[28][29]
Bob, a ginger cat that was found injured and subsequently adopted by London busker, James Bowen, in 2007. Bob's and Bowen's adventures together on the streets of London became the subject of a book, published in March 2012, A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man And His Cat Found Hope On The Streets.[33]
Garfield, ginger Tom famous for his visits at the local Sainsbury's supermarket in Ely, England.[37] His adventures are chronicled on his Facebook page,[38] and fictionalized in his own book of short stories.[39]
Henrietta, the now-deceased cat of New York Times foreign correspondent Christopher S. Wren, made famous by the book, The Cat Who Covered the World (ISBN0-684-87100-9 in one printing).
Jeoffry, the visionary poet Christopher Smart's cat, who is praised as "surpassing in beauty" in his owner's poem "Jubilate Agno".[40] (Jeoffry was Smart's only companion during his confinement in an asylum in 1762–63.) The Jeoffry extract is set as a treble solo in the festival cantata, Rejoice in the Lamb Op 30, by Benjamin Britten.
Tao, male seal-point Siamese; inspiration for a main character in the 1961 novel, The Incredible Journey.
World record holders
Blackie, a cat that inherited 15 million British Pounds and thus became the richest cat in history.[41]
Colonel Meow, a Himalayan-Persian mix who became famous on social media websites for his extremely long fur and scowling face. As of 2014, he holds the Guinness world record for longest hair on a cat (nine inches). Died 2014.
Creme Puff, the world's oldest cat (1967–2005). Owned by Jake Perry.[42]
Himmy from Cairns, Australia the fattest cat on record who weighed 21.3 kg (46.8 lbs) at his death in 1986.[42][43]
Meow, once the world's heaviest cat at 39.6 lb (18.0 kg).[44]
Prince Chunk, a shorthair cat alleged to weigh forty-four pounds (two pounds short of the world record).
Smokey, the holder of the Guinness World Record for "Loudest purr by a domestic cat".[45]
Stewie, Guinness World Record holder for world's longest domestic cat from August 2010 until his death 4 February 2013.
Towser "The Mouser" (1963–1987) of Glenturret Distillery in Crieff, Scotland, holds the Guinness World Record for the most mice caught (28,899).[46]
Félicette, the first cat ever launched into space by the French Centre d'Enseignement et de Recherches de Médecine Aéronautique (CERMA). Félicette was recovered alive after a 15-minute flight and a descent by parachute. Félicette had electrodes implanted into her brain, and the recorded neural impulses were transmitted back to Earth.[47]
Cygnus, the cat with the longest tail (17.5 inches)[48][49]
Simon, celebrated ship's cat of HMS Amethyst. In addition to being presented with multiple medals, he was the only cat to have won the PDSA's Dickin Medal, for his rat-catching and morale-boosting activities during the Yangtze Incident in 1949. He also received the rank of "Able Seacat".
Cherry Pop, "Jovan Cherry Pop of Mystichill" (1981–1995), was a pedigree Champion Persian who became the poster cat for the Broward Country Humane Society.[55] Money raised from Cherry Pop merchandise, events, and parties were donated to the Humane Society and other shelters, assisting in bringing attention to pet adoption for animals in need.[56]
Matilda, resident cat of the Algonquin Hotel in New York City. The Algonquin was for many years home to the Algonquin Round Table, consisting of such American wits as Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woolcott, and Harpo Marx. There have been nine cats who have called the Algonquin their home since the 1930s, but not all have been female. All the males have been named Hamlet (in deference to the actor John Barrymore), and the females Matilda.[57]
Blue, a Siamese cat taken "hostage" in Gresham, Oregon in a grocery store in the United States in 1994.
Blackie the Talking Cat, a "talking" cat who was exhibited (for donations) by an unemployed couple on the streets of Augusta, Georgia. Blackie became the subject of a court case, Miles v. City Council of Augusta.
Chase No Face, a cat who lost her face in an accident, and is now a therapy cat for people with disfigurements.[61]
CC (Copy Cat, or Carbon Cat), the first cloned cat.
Emily, an American cat who, after being lost, was found to have gone to France.[62]
Faith, a London cat that took up residence in St Faith & St Augustine's church (by St Paul's Cathedral) in wartime, and received a PDSA Silver Medal for her bravery in caring for her kitten when the church was bombed.[63]
Fred the Undercover Kitty, a cat famous for assisting the NYPD and Brooklyn District Attorney's Office in 2006.
Ketzel, the tuxedo cat who won a prize for his piano composition in 1997.[67]
Lewis, a cat who became infamous after being placed under house arrest.
Little Nicky, first cloned animal for commercial reasons.
Macavity, the busdrivers' nickname of a British cat, white with different-coloured eyes, known for regularly catching the local bus by himself.
Marzipan (c.1992–2013), a calico cat who lived in the lobby of Astor Theatre in Melbourne, Australia. She was the theatre's unofficial mascot and was often seen sitting on the couches, waiting for the patrons to pat her as they left the cinema. She was also known to stroll in the cinema and watch the movies, or simply wander down the aisle and sit on patrons' laps.[68] She had her own Facebook fan page.[69]
Mike (1908 – January 1929), a cat who guarded the entrance to the British Museum.
Mittens (~2009–present), a ginger Turkish Angora who wanders Wellington, New Zealand, and has a Facebook-based fanbase who regularly posts photos of him climbing into rental cars, entering businesses, and napping in unusual places.
Nora, a gray tabby cat who plays the piano alongside her owner.
Oscar, a cat fitted with bionic hind legs following an accident in 2009.
Oscar the hospice cat, written up in the New England Journal of Medicine for his uncanny ability to predict which patients will die by curling up to sleep with them hours before their death. To date he has been right 100+ times.[70][71]
Panteleimon, (affectionately known as Pantyusha), lived in Kotik, a restaurant opposite the Golden Gate in Kyiv.[72] A hospitable host, and a favorite of restaurant workers and visitors alike, he did not allow himself to rest until he checked whether everyone was comfortable at the table. According to an unconfirmed story a fire broke out in the restaurant and Panteleimon woke everyone up so they escaped their death but the cat itself died, suffocating in the smoke.[72] In 1998 a monument to the animal was erected near the entrance to the same restaurant.[72]
Room 8, a tomcat who appeared at Elysian Heights Elementary School in Echo Park, California at the start of the school year in 1952, returning every day thereafter, before disappearing for the summer, only to return the following September. This behavior continued into the mid-1960s. (Ref. Los Angeles Times)
Rusik, the Russian police sniffer cat on Stavropol, who died in the line of duty fighting against illegal endangered sturgeon fish traffic in 2003.
Scarlett, who in 1996 saved her kittens one by one from a fire in Brooklyn NY, suffering horrible burns in the process. Named Scarlett by the fireman who rescued her. She became a famous example of the power of a mother's love.[76]
Senator Capitol Kitty, a resident of Capitol Park in Sacramento, CA and star of Sharon Davis's book "The Adventures of Capitol Kitty"[77]
Sissi the Red Cat, an Italian cat who achieved celebrity by correctly picking the results of the 2014 World Cup matches in Brazil.[78]
Tibs the Great (November 1950 – December 1964) was the British Post Office's "number one cat" and kept the post office headquarters completely mouse-free during his 14 years of service.
Tiddles, tabby resident of the Ladies' toilet at Paddington Station, London. Thousands of passengers met her and their donations fed her.
Willow, a cat lost from a Boulder, Colorado home, who was discovered 5 years later and 1,800 miles away in New York City. She survived owls, coyotes, criminals, and Manhattan traffic. She was reunited with her owners with the help of her microchip.[79]
Winnie, who awakened a New Castle, Indiana family in April 2007 at 1 a.m. after detecting carbon monoxide in their home, saving the family's lives.[80]
Baggage, a cat owned by British television presenter Gok Wan. Baggage was the inspiration for Gok's TV series Baggage, first broadcast in the UK on 21 September 2012.[81] Has a limited following on Twitter and a fanpage on Facebook.[82][83]
Bimbo, the cat belonging to Makarios III during his British-imposed time in exile in the Seychelles.[84]
F.D.C. Willard, the pen name of Chester, the cat of Jack H. Hetherington, who listed the cat as co-author of several physics papers from 1975 to 1980
Foss, belonging to Edward Lear; subject of many drawings, some published in The Heraldic Blazon of Foss the Cat; inspired The Owl & the Pussycat; Lear buried Foss in his garden and died himself only two months later
Khouli-Khan, the cat of Thomas Anson is memorialized by the neoclassical "Cat's Monument" in the park at Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire, unless the cat in question is the first cat to circumnavigate the globe in the company of Admiral George Anson on HMS Centurion
Mademoiselle Fifi, (aka Paree) the beloved pet cat of aviator John Moisant. Fifi often accompanied Moisant on his flights, and on 23 August 1910 Mademoiselle Fifi became the first cat to fly across the English Channel during the first aeroplane flight from London-to-Paris. Moisant was killed at New Orleans in December 1910, and a famous photo was published of Fifi attending Moisant's funeral, draped in mourningcover.
Norton, a Scottish fold tabby belonging to Peter Gethers; memorialized in novels The Cat Who Went to Paris, A Cat Abroad, and The Cat Who'll Live Forever.
Ollie, the beloved Siamese cat of Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon. Ollie was presented to Gervais by Jonathan Ross during the Friday Night with Jonathan Ross show on 14 November 2003.[89] She was named after Oliver Hardy and had 62.8K Twitter followers at the time of her passing on 10 March 2020.[90] Jane Fallon intends to keep her account open.[91] Ollie's legacy lives on through #OllieAid, a Twitter hashtag established in honor of Ollie's 14th birthday. Animal lovers use the hashtag to auction items and raise funds for animals in need. The winner of each auction donates the amount of their bid to the animal charity of their choice then submits the receipt to Ollie's Twitter account in order to receive their prize.[92][non-primary source needed]
Pickle, full name Picklicious Fatkins the First, is the beloved tabby cat of Ricky Gervais and Jane Fallon. She was adopted by the couple in October 2020[93] and has more than 26K Twitter followers.[94]
Pixie, a Maine Coon belonging to well-known ailurophile Judge Richard Posner; described by Judge Posner in the Chicago Tribune as "the best cat [he's] ever had."
Shorty Blackwell, a cat that belonged to Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, and was the subject of a song written from the cat's point of view, called "Shorty Blackwell".[95]
Snacks, belonging to Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast. Snacks was featured on the cover of the band's debut album Crazy for You, and Snacks and Cosentino were featured together in a PETA ad campaign.[96][97]
Sprite, belonging to Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes; she was used as inspiration for some of Hobbes' physical features and behaviors, such as his habit of pouncing on Calvin.[98]
Taffy, belonging to Christopher Morley. Thieving cat commemorated in Morley's 1929 poem "In Honor of Taffy Topaz".
^Davies, Norman de Garis (1922). The Tomb of Puyemrê at Thebes, Volume I: The Hall of Memories. Robb de Peyster Tytus Memorial Series II. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 37. ISBN978-1-61-981068-6.
^"First named cat". Guinness World Records. Guinness World Records. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
^Joann Fletcher: Egypt's Sun King – Amenhotep III (Duncan Baird Publishers, London, 2000) ISBN1-900131-09-9, p.112
