Willie Lincoln plaque

[RJNorton]

I think I am missing something here. Wasn't Tabby one of the two kittens William Seward gave the Lincolns in 1861? If so, wouldn't it be possible for Willie and or Tad to have told Julia about their father being in the habit of feeding the cat at the dinner table? I think Tad especially would have thought this to be "cool" if it really happened. I can just "see" Tad telling folks about it. IMO, the fact that Tabby is not mentioned in Julia's book is a factor to be considered in trying decide the veracity of the story.