July 2, 2026

The Animals Who Became Part of a Place

From bookstores to theaters, train stations, and Antarctic bases, these animals became part of the places people remember.

Every place has its regulars. A neighborhood bookstore has a bookseller who’s always got the perfect recommendation. A theater has stagehands working behind the curtain. A train station has commuters who catch the same train every single day.

And sometimes, almost by accident, a cat, dog, or elephant becomes just as much a part of that place as the people who work there. Some of them were officially hired, while others just wandered in and never left. They greeted visitors, kept mice away, and watched over the building.

These are the animals who became part of a place.

Government & Civic Buildings

Animals serve the public, too. Some have official titles, while others earn the respect of those who work there.

Larry and the Chief Mousers of Downing Street

For more than a century, the British government has employed Chief Mousers to keep rodents away from the Prime Minister's residence. Today, that role belongs to Larry, who has become one of Britain's best-known political figures, outlasting six prime ministers while collecting millions of admirers around the world.

But Larry is only the latest chapter in a story that stretches back to the 1920s. Long before Larry, there were Treasury Bill, Rufus, Wilberforce, Humphrey, Sybil, Freya, and many more, each leaving their own paw prints on British political history.

→ Explore the story behind A Century of Chief Mousers, and read our interview with Larry the Cat.

Herman, the Coast Guard's Expert Mouser

In January 1943, the US Coast Guard issued an official photo identification card to a cat named Herman. His occupation was listed as Expert Mouser. And he also received a serial number, an official description, and a pawprint where a fingerprint would normally go.

While ships departed Baltimore carrying supplies for World War II, Herman patrolled the harbor, keeping warehouses free of rats, becoming one of the few cats ever officially employed by the US government.

→ Read how Herman's story.

Roxy, the Denver Police Cat

In 1891, Denver police officers opened a trunk recovered during a burglary investigation. Instead of more stolen property, they found a black kitten. The detective adopted her on the spot. Roxy became the station's unofficial mascot. She dined on sirloin steak and drank pints of cream, so you know how the detective spoiled her. It’s not a traditional job, but it is real work.

→ Learn more about Roxy, "a lookout and a dependable mouser" at Denver Police Department.

Snooky of New York City Hall

During the late 1930s, New York City Hall had an unusually reliable attendee. Her name was Snooky. She would join meetings with Fiorello La Guardia and move around the building with what reporters described as a distinctly proprietary air.

For years, visitors expected to see both the mayor and the cat at the City Hall.

→ Read the story of Snooky.

Arts, Culture & Public Spaces

A lot of the time, spaces like museums, bookstores, and coffee shops are memorable because of their cool architecture and vibe. But sometimes, we keep going back to a place just because a cat has decided to hang out there.

Minerva, the Bookstore Cat of Rome

On the night of Epiphany in 2023, a cat wandered into Spazio Sette, an independent bookstore in a former monastery in Rome, and made herself at home among the shelves. The staff named her Minerva. Today, many people visit the shop just hoping to see the cat and, of course, buy a book or two.

→ Read the story of Minerva, the resident cat of Rome's Spazio Sette bookstore.

Beerbohm, London's Theatre Cat

Beerbohm lived at the Gielgud Theatre. His official role was mouser, but he loved to walk onstage and interrupt performances.

The London Theatre people, including the audience and directors, were obsessed with him. When he passed away, he received a front-page obituary in The Stage, titled "Popular theatre cat loses his ninth life."

→ Read how Beerbohm became a theatre cat and worked there for almost 20 years.

Mariah and Her Princess Box

The Rosemary Branch is a pub theatre in London. And one of their popular regulars is a cat named Mariah.

The rescued cat has her own Princess Box at the end of the bar, and it's pretty normal for people to ask where she is before ordering a drink.

→ Read our interview with Siobhan from the Rosemary Branch team.

Comet, the Elephant Waiter

In 1938, guests dining at London's famous Trocadero Restaurant could be served by an elephant. His name was Comet. He would carry bottles, pose politely for photographs, and calmly navigate one of the city's busiest restaurants.

→ Read how Comet became part of a very different era of public entertainment.

Achilles, From Museum Mouser to World Cup Oracle

Achilles worked in the basement of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg as a mouser. He and a dozen cats helped protect one of the world's greatest art collections from mice.

Years later, the deaf white cat became an international celebrity after correctly predicting 2018 World Cup matches.

→ Read how Achilles made not one but three careers for himself.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Train stations were built to move people. Somehow, these animals became part of the journey.

Owney, America's Postal Dog

Owney was a stray terrier mix. In the 1880s, he decided to hop on a mail train and became the most famous traveling dog in the world. Over nearly a decade, he traveled to more than 220 cities, collected hundreds of medals, and became America’s most beloved traveler.

→ Here's Owney's story.

Flying Officer Bush

During the Second World War, a German Shepherd named Bush could usually be found sitting at the edge of a Royal Air Force runway. He watched every aircraft take off and waited for the pilots and crew to return.

→ People called him Flying Officer Bush.

Remote Outposts & Working Communities

Even the most isolated communities often have one familiar face waiting to greet you.

Takeshi in Antarctica

When Japan launched its first Antarctic expedition in 1956, one unexpected crew member came along. His name was Takeshi. He became the only known Japanese cat to overwinter on the frozen continent, offering companionship to researchers living thousands of miles from home.

→ How a calico cat who went farther south than almost anyone else.

Towser, the Greatest Mouser

From the early 1960s through the late 1980s, Towser spent her nights patrolling a Scottish whisky distillery. By the time she retired, she was credited with catching nearly 29,000 mice. Guinness World Records recognized her as the most successful working cat ever recorded.

→ Read the story of Towser the greast mouser.

Andrew, Mascot-in-Chief

Andrew was Mascot-in-Chief of the PDSA Allied Forces Mascot Club. He usually slept through London's air raids, but whenever bombs were about to fall nearby, he would get up and find shelter. People trusted his instincts and followed him to take cover.

→ Read the story of Andrew, the London air raid cat.

Pooli, the Ship's Cat

Pooli was born on the 4th of July, 1944, at Pearl Harbor. She later joined the crew of the USS Fremont, survived major operations, including the Battle of Iwo Jima, crossed the Equator with her shipmates, and earned her own mini set of service ribbons.

→ Like the sailors around her, she became part of the ship's story.

Bodega Cats of New York

Walk into almost any neighborhood bodega in New York and there's a good chance you'll be greeted by a cat. They're mouse catchers, mascots, unofficial customer service representatives, and, for many neighborhoods, beloved local celebrities.

Writer and the founder of Bodega Cats of New York, Daniel Rimada, has spent years documenting these cats and the people who care for them, preserving a tradition that stretches back generations.

→ Read our interview with Daniel Rimada.

If you’re interested in more stories like these, explore the full collection: Animals in residence.

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