The Bidens just welcomed a new cat, Willow. Here are 16 photos of the most adorable cats to live in the White House.
Talia Lakritz
- Willow, a 2-year-old gray tabby cat, has joined the Bidens at the White House.
- President Bill Clinton's cat, Socks, was something of a celebrity.
President Calvin Coolidge owned two cats, Blackie and Tiger.
They sat in a basket outside the White House in 1923.
Tiger once escaped from the White House, but he was found the next day when he wandered into the Navy Building.
Benjamin Fink, a guard at the Navy Building, discovered "Tige" and returned him to the White House safe and sound.
Herbert Hoover had a Persian cat named Kitty.
Kitty was said to have "the freedom of the corridors" in the White House, according to the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum.
President Jimmy Carter's daughter, Amy, had a Siamese cat named Misty.
His full name was "Misty Malarkey Ying-Yang," according to the Presidential Pet Museum.
Misty accompanied the Carters to vacations at Camp David.
He also took up residence in Amy's doll house.
The Clintons had a cat named Socks, who became something of a celebrity with frequent media appearances.
Chelsea Clinton adopted Socks back when Bill was the governor of Arkansas.
A White House staffer lifted Socks up to the podium in the briefing room in 1994.
Socks was given free rein of the White House, often climbing on Clinton's shoulders in the Oval Office.
He took rides in White House vans.
Socks perched on the backseat of the White House van in 1993.
Socks was also good friends with the Clintons' dog, a brown Labrador named Buddy.
They were photographed together in the Outer Oval Office in 1998.
In addition to two Scottish terriers named Barney and Miss Beazley, President George W. Bush had a black cat named India, nicknamed "Kitty."
The three pets posed for a Valentine's Day photo in 2007 in the Red Room of the White House.
The Bushes adopted India when their twin daughters were 9 years old.
India was named after the Texas Rangers player Rubén Sierra, who was nicknamed "El Indio."
A shy cat, India often spent her time in the White House Library or hiding under beds.
India died in January 2009 shortly before the Bushes moved out of the White House.
"India was a beloved member of the Bush family for almost two decades," the Bush family said in a statement. "She will be greatly missed."
In January, the Bidens announced that their highly anticipated cat, a 2-year-old tabby named Willow, had finally joined them at the White House.
The cat had been in foster care while their German shepherd Major underwent training to help acclimate him to cats, though he ultimately went to live with family friends in a "quieter environment."
Willow will share the White House with the Bidens' German shepherd puppy named Commander, whom they adopted in December.
The Bidens entered the White House with two German shepherds, Champ and Major. Champ died in June at age 13, and Major is living with a family friend after he had some trouble adjusting to life in the White House.
Willow is named for Dr. Biden's hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
"Willow made quite an impression on Dr. Biden in 2020 when she jumped up on the stage and interrupted her remarks during a campaign stop," the first lady's spokesman Michael LaRosa told The New York Times' Katie Rogers. "Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden."
Willow is already settling into her new home.
"Willow is settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats and plenty of room to smell and explore," LaRosa told The New York Times.
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