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8 Most Famous Cats From History
For thousands of years, cats have played an important part in human civilization. Through the ages, they have been regarded as sacred animals, valued for their ability to control pests, and have crawled into the hearts of their owners, forming bonds of familial friendship and love.
Some cats have even caught the attention of the public and risen to fame and stardom in their own right.
1. Ta-Miu, a Famous Cat and Companion to a Prince
Detail on the sarcophagus of Ta-Miu, Prince Thutmose’s cat. Source: Cairo Museum
It is no secret that the ancient Egyptians had a great reverence for the feline species. One of the oldest of all famous cats, Ta-Miu (She-Cat), was a pet of Crown Prince Thutmose, the son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, who lived around 3400 years ago in Egypt. Little is known of the prince’s life save for the fact that he died at a young age. He is better remembered for the fact that his resting place was accompanied by a sarcophagus for the mummified remains of his cat.
The limestone sarcophagus, upon which is a relief carving of the princely pet, now rests in the Cairo Museum, proving that a bond between humans and cats has existed for thousands of years.
Not long before Ta-Miu, another famous cat was Nedjem (Sweetie), the pet of Puimre, a priest of Amun during the reign of Hatshepsut. Nedjem was depicted in relief on Puimre’s tomb and is the oldest cat whose name we know!
2. Pangur Bán, a Medieval Inspiration
A sculpture of Pangur Bán in the Rose Garden of Kilkenny Castle, part of the Kilkenny Cat Walk held from October 2021 to April 2022, photograph by A.-K. D., 20201. Source: Wikimedia Commons
In the 9th century, an Irish monk wrote a beautiful poem about his cat, likely the oldest known literature about a feline. In the poem, entitled Pangur Bán (the cat’s name), the author compared the cat’s mouse-hunting activities to his own literary endeavors.
Little is known of the cat and the author, but one theory put forth by Professor W. J. Gruffydd suggests that “Pangur” is a version of the Welsh word “pannwr,” meaning “fuller,” which is associated with the color white. Thus, he suggests, the cat may have been white.
Modern associations have given Pangur Bán popularity, and he has appeared in books and films.
3. Unsinkable Sam, a Famous Sailor
Unsinkable Sam, by Georgina Shaw Baker. Source: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
One of the most famous cats in history, Unsinkable Sam led a life full of adventure. There is some debate over his origins, and many of his life details are considered apocryphal. As such, the story of Unsinkable Sam is one of legend rather than pure fact. Some pictures believed to depict Sam were actually of a cat named Simon who served aboard the HMS Amethyst and became famous for surviving an artillery attack during the Yangtze Incident. Despite all odds, Simon survived and was awarded the Dickin Medal for gallantry.
Nevertheless, the story that earned Sam his fame is incredibly popular in modern memory and earned the feline considerable attention. On May 27, 1941, after a fierce battle in the Atlantic Ocean, the Bismarck was sent to a watery grave with virtually all of its crew. There were just 114 survivors and one cat—“Oskar,” as the crew of the HMS Cossack called him. The feline joined the crew of the destroyer until the ship fell victim to a U-boat attack five months later. The heavily damaged ship was taken under tow but sank in a storm shortly thereafter.
Oskar survived to become the ship’s cat of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. By this time, Oskar had been renamed “Unsinkable Sam.”
Less than three weeks later, the Ark Royal was torpedoed, and Sam was found clinging to a plank and rescued by the HMS Legion, after which he was taken ashore. He spent the rest of the war in a seamen’s retirement village in Belfast and died in 1955.
4. Félicette, the First (And Only) Cat Launched Into Space
Félicette, the world’s first and only spacecat. Source: BBC Sky at Night Magazine/ina.fr/Youtube.com
When it comes to animals and space flight, Laika the dog is probably the most well-known. A stray cat from Paris, however, also made the same journey. The French decided to use cats instead of dogs or monkeys, and in 1961, they began their preparations to send a cat into space.
There were 14 potential candidates for the flight. The cats were all female and given numbers instead of names to prevent the scientists from forming attachments. They were put into small, confined spaces and subjected to centrifugal experiments. “C 341” was selected due to her calm demeanor and low body weight of just 5.5 lbs. Electrodes were attached to her all over her body, and on October 18, 1963, she was blasted into space in a flight that lasted just 13 minutes.
The flight data was sent to the media, and “C 341” was given the name Félix, which was then changed to the feminine form “Félicette.” Like so many animals in the world of scientific experimentation, Félicette’s story did not end happily. She was euthanized two months after her flight so that her brain could be examined.
Of the other candidates, one cat died in a subsequent mission, one was adopted by the science team as a mascot, and most were euthanized at the end of the program.
In 2019, a crowd-funded campaign to memorialize Félicette resulted in the unveiling of a statue of the first feline in space. While Félicette’s participation in her achievement was certainly not voluntary, and while she could be considered a victim of animal abuse rather than a hero, her story is one that deserves to be told.
5. The Right Honorable Larry
Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, Larry. Source: Wikimedia Commons/His Majesty’s Government
Serving as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office (an official title), Larry has lived in No. 10 Downing Street since 2011, thus being a far more permanent resident than the six prime ministers since Larry took up residency!
Larry was born in 2007 and spent his early life in Battersea Dogs & Cats Home before being adopted. Originally intended to be a pet for Prime Minister David Cameron’s children, Larry stayed on as Chief Mouser after Cameron left and has served in the position ever since, keeping No.10 free of rodents.
According to No.10’s official website, “Larry spends his days greeting guests to the house, inspecting security defences and testing antique furniture for napping quality.” Larry has stated that his solution to the mouse occupancy problem is still “in tactical planning stage.”
Larry is currently 18 years old and a much-beloved figure in British society, with his exploits often reported in the press.
6. Tombili the Street Cat
Tombili the Cat in life; with statue of Tombili the Cat, photograph by Nevit. Source: Wikimedia Commons
Tombili was a street cat who lived in Istanbul, Türkiye. Not much is known about the details of his life. Although the media reported his sex as male, even this is disputed. His name, “Tombili,” is Turkish for “Chubby.” The cat first drew attention due to a photograph in which he is seen lounging on the sidewalk in an anthropomorphic fashion.
This photograph garnered the cat considerable fame. After he died in 2016 from kidney failure, the mayor of Kadıköy district in Istanbul received a petition containing 17,000 signatures asking for a statue to be erected in the cat’s honor. Thus, on October 4, 2016, Tombili was memorialized in bronze.
A month later, the statue was stolen, generating a huge outcry around the country. The statue was, however, returned safely a few days later.
7. Lil BUB, the Permanent Kitten
Lil BUB. Image used with permission from Mike Bridavsky (Lil BUB’s owner). Source: lilbub.com
In 2011, Lil BUB was born the runt of the litter in a tool shed in Indiana. She had dwarfism and several genetic deformities, which resulted in her looking like a kitten for her whole life. She had a long body but short legs and a short lower jaw, which meant that her tongue was always sticking out.
The result of all these deformities meant that Lil BUB’s appearance was the subject of much adoration and attention. Weighing just 3.9 lb, Lil BUB was indeed a tiny cat, and she had a life full of adventure, with media appearances, book signings, photoshoots, and even a music album where her vocalizations were mixed with electronic music tracks. Lil BUB starred in Lil Bub & Friendz, a documentary that featured several other famous cats. Her owner, Mike Bridavsky, gave his cat extra special attention, and Lil BUB received much love and care throughout her life.
Lil BUB died in her sleep on December 1, 2019, while fighting a bone infection in her jaw. Despite her passing, Lil BUB’s legacy lives on in Lil Bub’s Big Fund, which advocates for animals with special needs.
8. Grumpy Cat, a Famous Internet Cat
Tardar Sauce was “Grumpy Cat,” photograph by Gage Skidmore, 2014. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Flickr
Over the past few decades, social media and the internet have brought a whole new dimension to the fame that cats could achieve. Cat videos and memes have truly become some of the modern world’s biggest phenomena, turning their feline subjects into the internet’s most popular animals.
There are many stars in these genres, but a few attained the heights of fame achieved by Tardar Sauce, better known as “Grumpy Cat.”
Born on April 4, 2012, Tardar Sauce was one of a litter of four kittens. She and one of her brothers, Pokey, displayed the same condition of feline dwarfism, giving them a permanently “grumpy look.”
On September 22, 2012, a photograph of her was published on Reddit, and the “Grumpy Cat” phenomenon took off. Her permanently grumpy-looking face became an internet meme, and images of her were accompanied by humorously negative and cynical comments.
Grumpy Cat received sponsorships, and a major merchandising campaign followed. T-shirts, mugs, and stuffed toys were made, while books and even a video game were created.
In 2019, at the age of seven, Tardar Sauce passed away in her owner’s (Tabatha Bundesen) arms due to complications from a urinary tract infection. Tributes came in from around the world, and she was buried in Sunland Pet Rest Cemetery in Sun City, Arizona.
Grumpy Cat having a nap at the 2014 VidCon at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, photograph by Gage Skidmore, 2014. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Grumpy Cat/Flickr
While dogs often take center stage as “man’s best friend,” there is no doubt that cats have played their part in history, whether it was for their abilities to catch mice, their charming appearance, or simply for the companionship they offer. Throughout the millennia, they have been the subjects of poetry, art, literature, and affection worldwide, often garnering the attention of more than just their owners!
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