Cats and President Lincoln

"No matter how cats fight, there always seem to be many kittens.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

In keeping with the patriotic tradition of celebrating America’s independence on this Fourth of July, here is a little story about one of the country’s greatest presidents who not only served America in one of its most turbulent times but was a cat lover to boot!

The Great Emancipator, Abraham Lincoln, was kind to and loved all animals, but he had a particular fondness for cats. The very first cat in the American White House was his own beloved Tabby, and he had three others during his tenure as President. Lincoln was fascinated by cats and often played with them for hours on end. When once asked if her husband had any hobbies, Mary Lincoln promptly replied, “cats.”

A little known tale about Lincoln and cats occurred when Lincoln was visiting with General Grant at City Point , Virginia, in March of 1865. The War Between the States was ending and the burdens upon Lincoln to heal the broken nation were enormous. Still, he made the time to care for three orphaned kittens staying in the telegraph hut. He picked them up, placed them in his great lap and asked Grant about their mother. When he learned the mother cat had died, he made sure they were fed and found a good home.

Lincoln’s compassion extended to dogs, horses, turkeys and goats as well. His own horse, Old Bob, was the rider-less horse with a pair of boots turned backward in the stirrups during Lincoln’s funeral procession.

Presidents that followed, notably Rutherford Hayes, loved animals as well. In 1878, he was presented with a gift from the American Consul in Bangkok. Siam was the first Siamese cat to enter the United States. Teddy Roosevelt loved his two felines, Slippers and Quartz and Calvin Coolidge carried one of his four cats, Tiger, around the White House while it was wrapped happily around his neck. John Kennedy had his Tom Kitten, Jimmy Carter his Siamese, Misty Malarkey Ying Yang, Reagan his Cleo and Sara, Gerald Ford his Shan, Bill Clinton Socks and Buddy and George W. Bush Ernie and India.

Happy Birthday, America and a Happy Meow to all patriotic felines as well!

Source:  http://www.nps.gov/abli/planyourvisit/lincoln-pets.htm

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