Cats in the White House

[Anita]

Here's a Smithsonian article; great photos.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a...180979561/

[David Lockmiller]

Here's a Smithsonian article; great photos.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a...180979561/

Though Abraham Lincoln was the first president to keep cats as pets—Secretary of State William Seward gifted him two kittens he named Tabby and Dixie—Andrew Hager, historian-in-residence at the Presidential Pet Museum, believes that the first cats to pad through the White House were likely nameless. “There were probably cats on the grounds beforehand because that’s how people took care of rodent problems in food storage areas in the mid-19th century,” says Hager, who also authored All-American Dogs, a history of White House canines.

I add from "American Marriage" by Professor Michael Burlingame:

"[Mrs. Lincoln] also disapproved of the way her husband used Executive Mansion cutlery to feed a cat during one White House dinner. When the First Lady asked a guest rhetorically, 'Don't you think it's shameful for Mr. Lincoln to feed Tabby with a gold fork?' the president observed: 'If the gold fork was good enough for [James] Buchanan, I think it is good enough for Tabby.'"

I think that both Rob Wick and I would agree with President Lincoln on this point of White House etiquette.

[LincolnMan]

Since the above referenced cats taking care of rodents- which they are known to do; I wonder about my cats which have never shown any interest in chasing down the occasional field mouse when one gets in the house. Instead, my dog has been the hunter and finder of the dreaded little interloper each time. Cats! Do your jobs! Nope, they are not interested.

[Anita]

Bill, maybe your cats like what your serving for dinner better than mice. Also my friend's cat is too lazy to chase a mouse. He's a couch potato.

[RJNorton]

Same here. Our cat has no interest in birds or mice. But if she sees an anole, she goes crazy!

[Anita]

Same here. Our cat has no interest in birds or mice. But if she sees an anole, she goes crazy!

I had to look up anole. Do anoles come into the house?

[RJNorton]

Same here. Our cat has no interest in birds or mice. But if she sees an anole, she goes crazy!

I had to look up anole. Do anoles come into the house?

No, but they get on the outside of the windows. The kitty goes nuts trying to get them while watching from inside the house. Our cat is an indoor cat.

[LincolnMan]

Bill, maybe your cats like what your serving for dinner better than mice. Also my friend's cat is too lazy to chase a mouse. He's a couch potato.

Yes, I am sure they do love what Donna is giving them for dinner better. Spoiled cats! Unfortunately, we lived in an area with woods and fields so we have our share of mice. But I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

[Anita]

Bill, maybe your cats like what your serving for dinner better than mice. Also my friend's cat is too lazy to chase a mouse. He's a couch potato.

Yes, I am sure they do love what Donna is giving them for dinner better. Spoiled cats! Unfortunately, we lived in an area with woods and fields so we have our share of mice. But I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Sounds lovely Bill. We're on a Peninsula with 15 terraces and many canyons, so we have lots of field mice and rats. I've never seen canned mice cat food so maybe only feral cats like mice.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Bill, maybe your cats like what your serving for dinner better than mice. Also my friend's cat is too lazy to chase a mouse. He's a couch potato.

Yes, I am sure they do love what Donna is giving them for dinner better. Spoiled cats! Unfortunately, we lived in an area with woods and fields so we have our share of mice. But I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Sounds lovely Bill. We're on a Peninsula with 15 terraces and many canyons, so we have lots of field mice and rats. I've never seen canned mice cat food so maybe only feral cats like mice.

It wouldn't be "economic" to tin mice as there are enough human meat leftovers (side products) in the slaughterhouses. You would
have to grow and keep the mice and check them for germs and parasites etc - no one cat owner would pay for that while you get the "human food leftovers" almost for free (and those are sold expensive enough considering they are "waste" otherwise from the "marketing point of view" ).
My cat hasn't yet had the chance for a mouse hunt, but he is an ardent fly catcher.

[LincolnMan]

Now my cats do like catching the occasional fly, yes!
As for rats- fortunately I have not been aware of any around here but I’m sure they exist. We also have a lot of snakes here!