August 12, 2026

Gardenia, the Library Cat of Louisiana

Gardenia, the Louisiana library cat who caught rats, watched movies with children, and retired on a satin pillow.

In the early 1950s, a public library in Louisiana had a bit of a rat problem that was eating the magazine collection. To solve this, a patron had the brilliant idea of bringing in a kitten. They named her Gardenia, and she turned out to be very good at the job. But she didn’t just stop there.

The library in question was the Ouachita Parish Public Library, where Frances Flanders was the director trying to find a way to protect their collection. When Faith Johnson, a patron, heard about the rat issue, she gifted them a small white kitten with pinkish ears.

Gardenia, named after a cat from a book one of the librarians had read, soon proved to be a valuable addition. Before long, the rat issue was under control, and Gardenia took it upon herself to find new roles. She loved hanging out with the kids who came to the library, letting them carry her around. During educational film showings, she’d chill right alongside them and watch. And if adults were busy researching, they could count on her making her way to their laps. Whenever new books came in, she’d inspect them by settling right on top.

When the library got a new copier, she decided it would make a cozy bed for her at night. And at mealtimes, she refused to eat alone, so Frances ended up having lunch with her in the office. Gardenia was especially fanatical about cottage cheese. If it came through the door, she expected her share right away. She even had her own special way of entering and exiting the library, using the book return slot.

In 1952, a film crew came to record some footage of the library. While they were filming the entrance, Gardenia made her famous jump out through the book slot. The filmmakers loved it and used that shot as the opening for their movie.

By this time, she was becoming a bit of a celebrity in town. In 1957, a newspaper published a feature about her. A few months later, she snagged the Puss’n Boots Bronze Award Citation for “outstanding custodianship.” Frances proudly showcased it along with the library’s other awards. Gardenia was definitely part of the team.

Things got a bit wild that same year when someone broke into the library, and for a while, Gardenia went missing. The staff worried that the burglar might have taken her, but she eventually showed up, a bit rattled but unharmed. Frances thought maybe she just got spooked and found a hiding spot nearby.

In 1959, the library moved to a new Main Branch on Stubbs Avenue, which presented a problem: would Gardenia agree to come with them? She wasn’t a fan of cars and usually stayed close to the old building. The staff packed her up and transported her to the new library. When they opened her kennel, everyone waited to see what she’d do.

Gardenia explored her new surroundings and, thankfully, decided they were just fine. The library had successfully moved its collection and, more importantly, its beloved cat.

As Gardenia got older, she eased into semi-retirement. She spent a lot of her time in the filing room, lounging on a white satin pillow, though she still made occasional visits to the kids.

Gardenia passed away after an illness on June 12, 1963. She started off as pest control but ended her career with over a decade of good times, sharing lunches with the director, inspecting book deliveries, watching films with kids, starring in the library's movie, and even winning an award for being such a great custodian.

The library still keeps that framed award today. Not too shabby for a little kitten who started out as pest control.

Animals with jobs

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