If you love cats, you’re not alone. Pet ownership is widespread in the United States.
Felines are one of the most popular pets in the world, and plenty of famous cats have made their mark on history.
In this article, we will be discussing 10 of the most famous cats in history. These cats come from all walks of life, each with a unique story. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
United States Statistics on Cat Ownership
Cats may be a fan favorite, but they are usually the most enigmatic pets. Cats are known for their independent nature, which might be why they are popular.
There’s a consistent rivalry between Cat and dog owners in the United States. However, an American Pet Products Association (APPA) survey shows approximately 69 million households owning dogs versus 45.3 million American families who own cats.
Sorry, cat owners, but dogs are still winning when it comes to popularity.
Nevertheless, cats have been steadily increasing in popularity over the past few years, whether by positive media portrayal or the fact that they’re relatively low-maintenance pets.
While dogs might be more popular, cats have a longer lifespan and are less expensive for food and toys.
Choosing a pet is a personal decision, but according to the ASPCA, many cats are primarily adopted from:
- Private Parties – 6%
- Breeder – 3%
- Stray – 27%
- Friends/Family – 28%
- Animal Shelter – 31%
- Other – 39%
While some might choose to adopt a cat from their local animal shelter, others might get their cats from friends or family.
All cats deserve a loving home. If you’ve brought a cat home and into your life, it’s often to gain a companion. After all, cats have been known to form strong bonds with their owners.
Sometimes they develop a personality of their own, become larger than life, and even end up in the history books. It may seem like an exaggeration, but some cats have done just that and become famous. Here are some of the most famous cats in history.
Famous Cats Throughout History
While cats might not be as popular as dogs, they have made their way into households and hearts worldwide.
Cats are often known to be independent but can form close bonds with their owners.
Some cats have become famous for their antics and intelligence or because they belong to famous people.
Here are ten of the most famous cats in history, and they appear in no particular order or importance.
Tardar Sauce, a.k.a. Grumpy Cat
Grumpy Cat is undoubtedly one of the most famous cats in history.
In 2012, a photograph of her face went viral on Reddit and was subsequently memorialized in a meme.
At first, no one believed she had Photoshopped her mug, but her grumpy markings were genuine.
Soon everyone became infatuated with Grumpy Cat. Her owners claim that despite the look on her face, she was a very happy cat.
However, she has dwarfism, and while she resembled a Snowshoe or Ragdoll, her parents were Calico Short Hair and a grey tabby!
Ted Nude-Gent, a.k.a. Mr. Bigglesworth
This Cat’s name is as hilarious as his film role! This famous Cat was allegedly a big fan of Mike Myers, even though he was Dr. Evil’s hairless Sphynx Cat from the Austin Powers films.
Ted loved Mike so much that he would spend all his time sleeping on his lap, which caused delays in movie shoots.
Mrs. Norris, a.k.a. The Magical Maine Coons
Mrs. Norris, a famous cat in many movies, is one of the most well-known.
Starring in the Harry Potter series, the role was played by four different Maine Coons, three of whom were rescued and hand-selected because of their intelligence.
Alanis was used for most of the holding scenes as she stayed still; Pebbles walked the hallways and stopped at a particular spot on command; Maximus could jump up onto Mr. Filch’s shoulders, and Cornilus would sit still and look around.
Lil Bub, a.k.a. The Cutest Cat Ever
Everyone’s heard of this famous adorable Cat, but they had nothing on Lil Bub. Unfortunately, she always looked like a kitten due to various genetic mutations.
For example, her teeth never grew, so her tongue constantly hung out of her mouth.
In addition, she had a form of dwarfism that she was born with that is quite rare.
Lil Bub was born with Osteopetrosis, a bone disorder, and she was the only Cat in history known to have the condition.
Thanks to online fame and fans raising money for treatment costs, her owners were able to pay for necessary treatments; however, she passed away in 2019
Morris The Cat – A 9Lives Star?
Morris the Cat made his debut in 1968 in the cat food business, giving 9Lives a star they would never want to replace. He appeared on some of the company’s packaging and in many television commercials.
Morris was an orange tabby found at the Humane Society in Hinsdale, Illinois, and the tabby remained a 9Lives’ “spokescat” for years, appearing in 58 commercials.
He even had a cameo appearance in 1973’s Shamus with Burt Reynolds.
F.D.C. Willard – A Feline Physics Professor
Chester became the first and probably only feline co-author on a physics paper. No, we’re not kidding.
Chester, the Siamese cat owned by Michigan State professor Jack Hetherington became co-author of an influential physics paper after Jack put himself in a bind.
Jack submitted his article to the Physical Review Letters, which was notorious for its strict rules when publishing pieces.
Unfortunately, Jack had put “we” throughout his document, and unfortunately, he didn’t have Microsoft Word at the time to change them all as this was 1975.
The journal had strict rules stating that articles with “we” had to have two or more people listed as authors.
So instead of taking on the grueling tasks of editing everything, he did the next best thing and added his Cat’s name as a co-author.
Most people took the measure well, perhaps not the Physical Review Letters who published the piece. Still, nevertheless, Chester, otherwise known as F.D.C Willard, went on to publish a solo piece in 1980.
Socks, The Official White House Cat
Socks was the first pet of the Clinton family, and he was a black-and-white cat. He was initially a stray that found Chelsea Clinton in 1991; the rest was history.
The Clintons adopted the Cat, and he moved into the White House with them.
Socks quickly became a famous cat as he had appearances on Larry King Live and even was memorialized on a stamp with former President Clinton.
Larry, the Downing Street Mouse Exterminator
It was in 2011, and there had been a mouse infestation at 10 Downing Street, the residence of Britain’s prime minister.
As a result, a staff member snatched a cat from a rescue home to drive the mice away. Larry, the brown-and-white tabby cat, was chosen to be Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office – the first feline to ever hold such a position – has received mixed reviews for his performance.
While Larry has successfully reduced the number of mice, he seems more inclined toward other duties, such as greeting visitors and finding good places to take naps.
Venus, The Chimera Cat
Venus is a famous cat because she’s a chimera with two different DNA sets from two embryos fusing.
She’s primarily black with a few ginger patches and a stripe down her face making it half black and half ginger.
Her condition is rare since she’s female. Most male tortoiseshell cats are chimeras.
While scientists would try to explain away her Chimerism, they are stumped by the existence of her one blue eye.
Cat eyes are usually yellow or green, but Venus has one blue eye due to her different DNA sets.
Snoopy The Cat – Another Meme-worthy Feline
Snoopy, an international internet sensation, was born on May 11, 2011, in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
Within two months after his photos were published online, he had gained tens of thousands of followers. His devoted fans created Tumblr and Instagram accounts for him; however, the fame did not go to his head.
He remains a playful orange and white kitty with big eyes who loves sleeping and eating- much like Garfield!
Cats Are Interesting Creatures
While most of us think of cats as domesticated animals, we keep in our homes. Some felines out there have made a name for themselves.
These famous cats have led fascinating lives, from gracing the pages of physics papers to becoming international internet sensations.
So, the next time you see your Cat napping in a sunbeam or chasing a mouse, remember that they have the potential to be famous too!
Who knows, maybe if enough famous cats are introduced to the world, the number two pet will become number one.
