First Felines: The Presidents and their Pet Cats
Bennett Glace
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Nearly every presidential administration has welcomed at least one pet to Washington. In fact, most first families have counted several animals among their ranks. Beyond the expected four-legged friends, pets ranging from grizzly bears, roosters, sheep, and an alligator have all called the White House home.
Avid hunter and outdoorsman Theodore Roosevelt kept more pets than any president before or since more than 20. While the number and variety of Roosevelt’s pets make him a bit of an outlier, an affection for animals is most definitely a presidential quality. Prior to the Trump presidency, James K. Polk (who served from 1845 to 1849) was the last chief executive to occupy a completely pet-free White House.