Famous cats in history: shipmates, pets, and legends

By the Keep & Paw editorial team · Updated October 8, 2026

Simon received a medal, Tama became a stationmaster, and Stubbs held an honorary mayor's title. Other famous cats shared writers' and presidents' homes or took part in scientific experiments. Their stories include affection, public honors, disputed adventures, and painful endings.

AI-generated illustration: a tabby cat sitting on an old sea chest beside a brass compass and a rolled map

AI-generated illustration, not a historical image.

Meet palace pets in royal cats, or see feline subjects in paintings, sculpture, and posters in famous cats in art.

Simon: the decorated cat of HMS Amethyst

Simon was born around 1947 in Hong Kong. In March 1948, seventeen-year-old sailor George Hickinbottom smuggled him aboard HMS Amethyst. Simon was wounded during the Yangtze Incident.

He received the Dickin Medal in August 1949 and, as of 2025, was the only cat to have received it. His honorary title was “Able Seacat.” He died on November 28, 1949, and was buried in the PDSA pet cemetery in Ilford, Essex.

Félicette: a spaceflight with a difficult ending

On October 18, 1963, Félicette launched from Algeria aboard a Véronique AGI 47 rocket. Described as the first cat to reach space, she made a suborbital flight lasting about thirteen minutes, including about five minutes of weightlessness.

She was recovered alive but was euthanized two months later for examination of her brain.

Unsinkable Sam: the shipwreck story

The story goes that Unsinkable Sam survived the sinkings of Bismarck, HMS Cossack, and HMS Ark Royal in 1941. Historians note that there is no firm evidence for the Bismarck and Cossack parts of the tale.

Mrs Chippy: the carpenter's male tabby

Despite the name, Mrs Chippy was a male tabby belonging to Harry McNish, carpenter aboard Shackleton's Endurance. Shackleton's diary records that the cat was shot on October 29, 1915.

In 2004, a bronze statue of Mrs Chippy was placed on McNish's grave in Karori Cemetery, Wellington.

Trim: a companion on the Australian voyage

Trim was born aboard HMS Reliance in 1799. He sailed with Matthew Flinders on HMS Investigator during the circumnavigation of Australia in 1801–03, survived the wreck of the Porpoise in 1803, and later disappeared on Mauritius.

Flinders wrote a tribute to Trim in 1809. A statue by John Cornwell, dating to 1996, stands at the Mitchell Library in Sydney.

Hodge: “a very fine cat indeed”

Hodge was Samuel Johnson's cat, recorded in Boswell's Life of Johnson, published in 1791. A bronze statue by Jon Bickley was unveiled in Gough Square in 1997, inscribed “a very fine cat indeed.”

Hemingway's six-toed cats

The Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West is home to nearly sixty cats. About half show the six-toed, or polydactyl, trait, and all carry the gene. The cats are named after celebrities.

The museum says a ship's captain gave Hemingway a white six-toed cat named Snow White and that some of today's cats descend from her. Members of Hemingway's family have disputed that he kept cats in Key West.

Stubbs, the “mayor” of Talkeetna

Stubbs was born on April 12, 1997. Found as a kitten in a box at Nagley's General Store, he was named for having no tail.

He served as honorary mayor of Talkeetna, Alaska, from July 1997 until his death on July 21, 2017.

Lincoln's cats, Tabby and Dixie

Secretary of State William Seward gave Tabby and Dixie to Lincoln after his election. Lincoln reportedly said Dixie “is smarter than my whole cabinet.”

CC, the first cloned pet

CC, the first cloned pet, was born on December 22, 2001. Scientists at Texas A&M University cloned her with Genetic Savings & Clone.

Tama: the stationmaster at Kishi Station

Tama became stationmaster of Kishi Station in Wakayama on January 5, 2007, and received the title “super stationmaster” in 2008. She died on June 22, 2015, aged sixteen.

A study cited by AFP estimated that Tama brought about 1.1 billion yen in economic impact to the local economy.

Larry: Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office

Larry arrived at 10 Downing Street on February 15, 2011, and was the first cat given the official title Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office. Treasury records show that a penny-a-day allowance for a government cat was approved in 1929.

Humphrey: the earlier Downing Street resident

Humphrey served as the Downing Street cat from October 1989 to November 13, 1997, across the Thatcher, Major, and Blair governments.

Socks: the Clinton family's cat

Chelsea Clinton adopted Socks in 1991, and he moved into the White House in 1993. He later lived with Betty Currie and died on February 20, 2009.

Towser: the distillery mouser

Towser was Glenturret Distillery's tortoiseshell mouser, with a life spanning 1963–1987. Guinness credited her with an estimated 28,899 mice, using observation and estimation.

Muezza: a cat in popular tradition

Popular tradition says the Prophet Muhammad had a cat named Muezza. No reliable hadith mentions the cat, so the story belongs to legend.

Myths and misconceptions

Sam definitely survived every sinking in the story

The reported escapes from Bismarck and HMS Cossack lack firm evidence. The sequence of shipwrecks remains disputed.

Félicette was the only cat in space

She is described as the first cat to reach space. “First” does not mean “only.”

Larry was the first Downing Street cat

Humphrey lived there earlier. Larry was the first to receive the official Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office title.

Tama's economic impact was actual revenue

The 1.1 billion yen figure is a study's estimate of local economic impact, not recorded station revenue or money paid to Tama.

Muezza has a documented biography

No reliable hadith mentions Muezza. The named cat comes from popular tradition.

Stubbs was an elected mayor

His mayor's title was honorary.

FAQ

Which cat received the Dickin Medal?

Simon received it in August 1949. As of 2025, he remained the only cat to have received the medal.

Did Félicette return alive?

Yes. She was recovered alive after her suborbital flight but was euthanized two months later for brain examination.

Was Mrs Chippy a female cat?

No. Mrs Chippy was a male tabby belonging to Endurance's carpenter, Harry McNish.

Was Towser's mouse total an exact count?

No. Guinness reached the estimated total of 28,899 through observation and estimation.

When did Humphrey live at Downing Street?

From October 1989 to November 13, 1997, across the Thatcher, Major, and Blair governments.

Where can I explore more feline history?

Our historic cat breeds guide follows breed histories. For portraits, sculpture, and a cat made famous by a poster, visit famous cats in art.

Sources

Your own cat has a story worth keeping. Explore ways to preserve a favorite pet photo.