White House Cats: When Siamese Cats Got Into the (Oval) Office

White house cats aren't cats that live in a white house - but cats that live in the White House. More specifically, Siamese cats that have at some point occupied the most famous house in America.

The earliest of Siamese cats of presidents belonged to President Rutherford Hayes, the 19th US president who was in office from 1877-1881. He and his wife, Lucy Ware Webb, received a Siamese kitten as a gift from the US Consul in Bangkok. At first named Miss Pussy, the First Lady quickly changed its name to Siam in honor of its origins. This First Lady was a noted abolitionist and highly educated and loved by all. She also started the custom of children rolling Easter eggs down the White House lawn.

This first Siamese White House cat had plenty of company - a huge menagerie graced that White House in addition to little Siam: a bird, a goat, two dogs and 12 greenhouses that needed 10 full-time gardeners.

Susan Ford, the daughter of President Gerald Ford (1974-1977) had a Siamese cat in the White House - Shan Shein, a seal point Siamese cat as we know from a photograph of the front cover of People Magazine. Shan belonged to Susan when the Fords still lived in Arlington, Virginia, and moved with them when Mr Ford became president. Shan slept in Susan's bed at night and was looked after by Mrs Ford during the day while her daughter was at school.

And who can forget 'little' Amy Carter, daughter of President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981) She had 39 teddy bears and a bit of a rebellious streak, with a Siamese cat called Misty Malarky Ying Yang. A heavyweight name worthy of a Presidential cat!

And this one may not be exactly a white house cat, but it is a 10 Downing Street Siamese cat - the White House equivalent for England.

Prime Minister Harold Wilson had a male seal point called Nemo, who used to accompany him and his wife on holidays to the Scilly Islands, off Cornwall, the most westerly county of England.

Nemo means 'no name' or 'nobody' in Latin, but I like to think he was named after Captain Nemo of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - because we all know Siamese cats assume they are in charge.

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