Which Presidential Family Had a Cat Named Socks?

Articles in Famous Felines are written by
Patrick Roberts
Copyright © 2003-22 Purr 'n' Fur Uk

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Socks Clinton

and other presidential felines at The White House

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Socks was arguably the first superstar cat — written about in printed media and internationally known at a time when the Globe Wide Web was yet in its primeval years (the first official White House website went online during his tenure), and many years earlier the appearance of social media. He received masses of letters, all answered by his staff, at that place was a fan society, and a whole merchandising industry existed because of him. It did no damage that he was a very photogenic true cat, and by all accounts an equable one.
Our website didn't exist until after he'd retired, just he was however living when this page was first put together in 2005 and it was still possible to obtain information about him. The page has been added to since then for further White Firm feline (and canine) residents, the nigh contempo update beingness for Willow Biden in early on 2022.

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When Bill and Hillary Clinton moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington DC, on xx January 1993, it took a few days earlier their cat Socks came to bring together them; he had to endure a two-twenty-four hours motorcar trip from Little Rock, Arkansas — but at least that gave fourth dimension for his bed and litter-box to exist made set for him. In that location had not been a cat in the White House since Amy Carter's Siamese 'Misty Malarky Ying Yang', and Socks was just the fourth cat there since Calvin Coolidge left role in 1929 — only he wasted no time in imposing his personality on the place, and it was not long at all before he became an internationally known celebrity.

Before Socks . . .

But there had been presidential felines in the past, long before the White House became the official residence, and then before telling Socks' story we'll give them a mention.

As far back equally Martha Washington'due south fourth dimension, she kept cats at Mount Vernon — and even had a special door put in for them to come and get (the precursor of the cat-flap?) The youngest son of Abraham Lincoln — Tad, who lived to be only 18 (1853-71) — had a pet chosen Tabby; the peachy man himself is said to have liked cats. Rutherford Hayes, nineteenth president (from 1877 to 1881), had a true cat called Piccolomini, and also a Siamese kitten that was actually the offset of the brood to be brought into the United states — a souvenir from the United states of america consul in Bangkok to Hayes' wife Lucy. Information technology was named Miss Pussy. William McKinley (president from 1897 to 1901, when he was assassinated) and his wife Ida had an Angora cat. When it had kittens, they were named later on prominent figures. To the president's amusement, the runts of the litter were named Weyler and DeLome, after two Spanish dignitaries; however, these unfortunate kittens were the start casualties when war broke out betwixt the US and Spain, and Ida promptly ordered them to exist drowned.

Theodore Roosevelt, president for two terms from 1901 until 1909, seems to accept had quite a menagerie of various pets, which included two cats, a six-toed (polydactyl) grey called Slippers (left), and a feisty kitten known as Tom Quartz. A letter of the alphabet exists, dated Jan 1903, from Roosevelt to his son Kermit in which he describes some of the kitten's antics: 'Tom Quartz is certainly the cunningest kitten I have ever seen . . . an exceedingly playful trivial fauna.' He goes on to describe how Tom had 'ambushed' Jack, the long-suffering dog. As for Slippers, she, every bit is the style of her kind, wasn't going to motion from the spot she had chosen, even for the President of the USA! The story is told of an evening when Roosevelt, later a formal dinner, was leading an administrator's wife out of the dining room towards the East Room, when they encountered Slippers, stretched out across the centre of the hallway. Instead of holding everyone up by waiting for the cat to motion, or be moved, the President led the woman around the purring feline — and all the dignitaries behind were obliged to follow arrange.

Woodrow Wilson, in office from 1913 to 1921 (including WW1), had a true cat called Puffins. Calvin Coolidge (president from 1923 to 1929) had a range of creatures to rival Roosevelt's, among which were a bobcat called Smoky and a pet canary. The bird is said to take 'fallen in love' with a cat named Timmie (left), belonging to Washington journalist Bascon Timmons; Coolidge ended upward giving the bird to Timmons. (I haven't been able to establish whether this story had a happy ending or not!)  Coolidge himself kept domestic cats as well; various names crop up in different accounts, including Tiger (nicknamed Tige), Smokey, Blackie, Marmie and Bastard. All agree that Coolidge liked to walk around the White House with a cat draped effectually his shoulders, and most accounts say it was Tige (correct). He was a gray-striped tabby, who apparently was quite subversive to effects, causing the loss in particular of a valuable antique bedspread. His destructive ways led to his adjournment after a while to a new domicile, leaving Blackie as 'top cat'; he apparently loved to ride in the White House lift (elevator).

Although President Harry Truman (in office 1945-53) was not an beast lover, one cat made determined attempts to move in with him at the White Firm. 'Mike the Magicat', 'psychic' pet of famous seer Jeane Dixon, arrived uninvited one twenty-four hour period and was offered a meal earlier being driven domicile by limousine to the accost on his collar. Thereafter he had to be collected regularly from the White House gardens past his owner. President Eisenhower (1953-61) apparently loathed cats, to the extent of issuing an society to his staff that any institute effectually the White Business firm were to be shot!

Later on, Caroline Kennedy and John-John had Tom Kitten, who adored their male parent, JFK. Unfortunately, though, the President proved to have an allergy to cats, and then Tom had to exist found some other good home. Nevertheless, when he died, the cat merited an obituary in one of the Washington-area newspapers. 'Dissimilar many humans in the same position', wrote the newspaper, 'he never wrote his memoirs of his days in the White House and never discussed them for quotation, though he was privy to many official secrets.' Susan Ford (Gerald Ford's daughter; he was president from 1974 to 1977) had a Siamese chosen Shan Shien in the White Firm (near right). Obviously Shan's favourite sleeping place was in the Lincoln chamber. Ford was followed in 1977 by Jimmy Carter'south assistants and, as mentioned earlier, daughter Amy's Misty Malarky Ying Yang (far correct) took over from Shan.

Ronald Reagan was very fond of the animals and had several tortoiseshell strays, although information technology seems likely they were at his ranch and not in Washington. Some didn't accept names, just 2 of them were Sara and Cleo.

Then to Socks . . .

Socks, a black-and-white or 'tuxedo' cat, joined the Clinton family when Bill was governor of Arkansas; the much loved family cocker spaniel Zeke had been run over in the autumn of 1990, and it was not planned to get some other dog for a while. However, one solar day the following year when Chelsea went for a piano lesson, there were two little kittens playing in her teacher'southward garden. The instructor had been trying to trace their mother, without success; but when returning to the auto after the lesson Chelsea reached out to greet the kittens — whereupon the little blackness-and-white 1 promptly jumped up into her artillery. Thus Socks became a fellow member of the family unit: and a skillful home was also found for his sibling, 'Midnight'. Their exact nascence date seems to be a little hazy: when answering questions about Socks in February 1993 Chelsea said he would be 'iii years old in July', thus 1990; but his commemorative plaque has 1991.

Socks goes to Washington

Socks before long made himself at home at the governor'south mansion and proved to be a great explorer. When Bill made his successful bid for the presidency in 1992, it was decided that the true cat should back-trail the family to the White House — and then he became the 'Start Cat-elect'. One day in Nov 1992, leaving the mansion for his usual rounds, a oversupply of printing photographers lured him into range with some catnip, and so he got his commencement picture in the papers (main pic, above). The Clintons, unused at the time to this level of publicity, were said to exist not pleased by the intrusion.

When they moved to Washington, information technology was decided that, for his ain safety, it would exist amend if Socks was non left to roam free over all eighteen acres of White Firm grounds, doubtless to return with 'trophies'; there was just an atomic number 26 contend every bit boundary in parts, which he would have been easily able to skid through into traffic and crowds. He was therefore, somewhat reluctantly, confined to a long leash on the South Lawn when he was exterior. However, this did not foreclose him from following with interest the comings and goings of squirrels, birds and other wildlife in his territory; and for some months he also had a stray tabby cat as a friend — dubbed 'Slippers', she shared his food and water during her visits.

Life at the White Business firm

Socks' favourite outdoor spots included the garden outside the Oval Office, under one of the commemorative trees, when it was sunny; in summertime, every bit information technology became very hot and boiling, he took refuge in the thick hedge nigh the swimming pool. In cold or rainy conditions he retreated indoors and although, understandably, he did not have the free run of the White House either, he naturally had his favourite spots. The Visitors' Office in the E Wing was one, where loftier-backed chairs provided a good vantage point to view goings-on, but besides there he had a fantastic three-storey cat business firm, handmade past a Florida fan, into which he could retreat to 'get abroad from it all'.

A wing chair in the receiving room in the West Wing, just outside the Oval Office, was a favoured spot for a catnap. As fourth dimension went on, he forged a particular friendship with Betty Currie, President Clinton's personal secretary, and spent a lot of time on a chair in her part. His permanent bed was in the engineers' room, where at that place was always someone around if he wanted company. But judging from the photographs accompanying this article, Socks made his presence felt in various areas and had many friends among the president's staff, so in that location were plenty of people willing to care for him when duties took the Clintons away from home. It as well became axiomatic that he was a cat of great character!

Visits, stamps and fan post

He didn't appear to be particularly keen on publicity — but of class he got plenty! He was quite often taken circular on visits to children, or senior citizens, in the local hospitals, orphanages and nursing homes, and seemed to exist happy to oblige; he would sit on Hillary's lap and purr, enjoying the attention. For these visits he travelled in his own smart carrying basket, consummate with presidential seal; on occasion he travelled in a limo and in several motorcades. During the Clinton administration it was a cartoon 'Socks' (right) that guided visitors around the White House for Kids section of the website, launched on 19 January 1996, and that proved very popular.

Socks himself was featured on a corking sheetlet of 9 stamps issued by the Primal African Republic in 1996 (see right).

Both he and, later, the dog (see below) received huge amounts of fan mail, especially from children, and special efforts were made to answer them all. To the left is an example of the card that was sent to children who wrote to Socks. The retired service personnel who live at the U.s.a. Soldiers' and Airmens' Home in Washington helped out a lot with dealing with all the post and replying to it; sometimes Socks would visit them to express his appreciation.

That Labrador

Simply Socks' pleasant lifestyle was to be upset. When Chelsea Clinton went to college at Stanford in California, and Beak had been elected president for a 2d term, the family decided to get some other canis familiaris. Chelsea wanted a modest one she could pick upwardly and carry, but Neb said he would like a big i that he could run with. It was felt a Labrador would be suitable in size and temperament: and and then, at about 3 months old, Buddy erupted onto the White Firm scene, in Dec 1997. He and Nib hit it off straight away; but unfortunately, no one had consulted Socks . . .

In Hillary Clinton's words, Socks 'despised Buddy from first sight, instantly and forever'. He had had all the family attention for some years and found the canis familiaris's presence hard to deal with. He refused point-bare to be friends with this boisterous and intrusive canine, despite everyone's best efforts. If they were left together, Socks would be institute hissing, fluffed up and with dorsum arched, while Buddy tried to chase him nether the sofa. Although the cat had clipped claws, he never lost an opportunity to take a swipe at the dog.

End of the presidential term — and of Buddy

When Bill Clinton's second presidential term was coming to a shut early in 2001, Socks' time to come had to exist considered. Relations with Buddy had not improved. Several options were considered, including keeping him in Hillary's new Senate office, or having him in the new Clinton residence in Georgetown while Buddy stayed at the Chappaqua house. However, Betty Currie, who was taking retirement, expressed an interest in having her feline friend go to live with her, and in the terminate that was thought to exist the best solution for Socks — especially in view of Hillary's new commitments in the Senate, pregnant she would have less time at home. It is not true that the Clintons only 'got rid' of the true cat, equally some of their detractors would accept us believe.

We learned that Socks' rival, Buddy the chocolate Labrador, was run over by a machine and killed on 2 January 2002, while the Clintons were on vacation in United mexican states. He was apparently chasing after a contractor'due south van leaving the bounds of the Chappaqua business firm and in doing and so ran out into the busy road that passes the cul-de-sac where the house is located. Run into New York Times article reporting the incident. Buddy was simply 4½, and it must take been very upsetting for his owners, specially equally their earlier domestic dog Zeke had died in the same mode (meet above).

I website we visited remarked that 'Socks did non attend the funeral and did not send a representative.' Later the aforementioned year Beak was given some other chocolate Labrador which he named Seamus, who (in 2012) he still has.

Socks moves to Maryland

For some while the Clinton Press Office in New York maintained a dedicated phone extension for enquiries well-nigh Socks. In mid-2006 nosotros were able to report that he was in good health and enjoying life with Betty and her married man in Hollywood, southern Maryland, about lxxx miles (130 km) from Washington. In October 2004 he made a rare public appearance when Betty was guest speaker at an Officers' Spouses Club luncheon at Andrews Air Force Base. Socks accompanied her and took function in the 'photograph op.' (left)

A couple of years later, in June 2008 nosotros were very pleased to hear that Socks continued to bask a relaxed retirement in Maryland with his best friend. He was still making the occasional public appearance, but his age was starting to prove (at this time he was thought to be nearly 19 years one-time) and he had historic period- and health-related bug. Southern Maryland Newspapers Online ran an excellent article about him at this time, with photos, entitled Socks Still Rocks.

Socks' concluding public appearance was at a fundraiser for local animal welfare groups on World Animal Twenty-four hours, four October 2008, at Leonardtown, Doc, where he 'signed' photographs and books. Someone involved and who knew him well has since said he 'yet had his Presidential bearing and drew quite the oversupply'. A visitor to the event remarked that Socks 'graciously let everyone pet him' and commented, 'O what a cat: a once in a lifetime cat.'

Farewell, Socks

Reports in mid-December 2008 brought the unwelcome merely not unexpected news for a cat of Socks' age that he had cancer and was said to be close to decease. For his many fans the earth over this was deplorable news indeed. The cancer was in his throat and jaw region.
United states of america News & World Report
NYDailyNews.com
ABC News

One-time trouper that he was, Socks battled on till mid-February 2009 and was still able to enjoy a reasonable quality of life. But it was a battle he couldn't win; he was rapidly losing weight and by the eye of the month he was hardly able to eat. Betty took him for a concluding walk, but when next day, on Friday 20 February, he could no longer stand up, she knew that his time had come. She took him on the last sad journey to his long-time veterinarian; and was heartbroken.

It was reported that Chelsea Clinton contacted Betty later that same day, every bit did the one-time President; and Nib and Hillary issued the following argument: 'Socks brought much happiness to Chelsea and u.s.a. over the years, and enjoyment to kids and cat lovers everywhere. Nosotros're grateful for those memories, and we specially want to thank our good friend, Betty Currie, for taking such loving care of Socks for so many years.'
Southern Maryland Newspapers Online (archived copy)
Obit Magazine (archived copy)
People (archived re-create)
Fox News (archived re-create)
CNN
LA Times

Commemoration

It's understood that Betty either buried or scattered a portion of Socks' ashes at one of his favourite spots overlooking the river near to her Maryland home. She sent another to his hometown at Little Rock, and in March, during a private ceremony at the Governor's Mansion, the ashes were scattered in the west garden. The Start Lady of Arkansas, Governor'south wife Ginger Beebe, read a piece she had composed to honour Socks, and a commemorative plaque was put in place — nosotros believe not far from the dorsum porch most to the kitchen. The occasion was non reported in the printing until July, when Mr Ron Maxwell, the mansion'due south ambassador, was quoted as saying, 'That's where Socks hung out, on the back porch there'. The wording reads: Socks. 1991-2009. First Cat of Arkansas 1991-1993. First Cat of the US 1993-2001. The pocket-size urn which contained the ashes is now at the Clinton Presidential Library, Picayune Rock.

Socks 1991 - 2009
God sends some of us a special mission
To take in stray kitty cats,
To feed them and give them a permanent habitation,
To love them and make them our very own.
That'due south how it was for the cat named Socks,
Socks was very smart to have jumped
In the arms of little Chelsea,
For now Socks had a home at 1800 Heart Street
The Arkansas Governor's Mansion.
While his time hither was brusque
The motion to the White House brought him
More family unit, fame and the green-eyed of cats around the world.
Socks became a household pet name with his picture in
Magazines and image on posters.
He wrote a book that brought smiles to many a face up,
And so retirement information technology was with his companion and friend
From his White House days.
Socks was loved by many and volition forever be a function of the
History of this place, the Arkansas Governor'due south Mansion.

And and so it was that Socks returned habitation. Our warm thanks to the First Lady who gave permission for her words to be reproduced here, and nosotros are as well virtually grateful to her banana, Natalie Smith, for responding to our enquiry and arranging a photograph of the commemorative plaque.

Socks' legacy

Socks had a keen life for a devious from Arkansas, and became arguably the about famous true cat of his time — not only in the US but throughout much of the world, and not just considering of his high-profile residence before in his life, and the fame that went with it, but considering he was a cat of such character. He was profoundly mourned by his legion of fans, and we still retain a soft spot for him, but fortunately we were left with an excellent legacy of photographs.

More pictures of Socks

(left-click for enlargements if you have JavaScript enabled)

The White Business firm website of the Obama assistants features a slideshow of presidential pets which includes ane of the most well-known photos of Socks.

Subsequently Socks left the White House . . .

George W Bush had 3 cats in Texas. The favourite was Cowboy, who died of kidney failure in 2000 aged 12. The remaining two animals Bush claimed to feed himself every forenoon when he was governor, and said how he missed them when he was campaigning for the presidency — but withal he did not bring Ernie to the White House, and gave him to a family friend. Ernie was a half dozen-toed, ginger-and-white devious who had been rescued from a tree at the governor'due south Texas mansion in Austin, and was named for Ernest Hemingway who too had a half dozen-toed cat.

The remaining feline, who was at the White Business firm throughout the Bush-league administration but was adequately reclusive, was a black female called India (later a old Texas Ranger baseball player nicknamed 'El Indio'; although the proper noun was also said to be brusque for 'India Ink', presumably because of her colour). She had been with the Bush-league family for many years and for some reason gained the nickname 'Willie', and was too referred to as 'Kitty'. India died on 4 January 2009 aged 18, and the family issued a statement expressing their sadness. A photo essay of India is included in the archived pages of the Bush administration. There were three dogs: a Scottie Barney, merely English springer spaniel Spot (or Spotty) died in 2004. The family'southward ornaments of all three animals were pictured in a drove of presidential pet sculptures displayed in the Eastward Room of the White House. A further Scottie was presented to Laura Bush early on in 2005 and named Miss Beazley ('Beazley-Weazley').

On 14 April 2009 the Obamas' Bo, a half dozen-calendar month-old Portuguese water dog, fabricated his debut for the press corps: run across the archived White House official video. A companion for Bo arrived in mid-2013, a female of the aforementioned breed named Sunny.

Update, Jan 2022

After 13 years, a new feline fabricated her advent in tardily January 2022. Donald Trump had no pets — just and then came Willow, named afterward Commencement Lady Jill Biden's birthplace of Willow Grove. Originally from a farm in Pennsylvania, the kitten jumped up onto the stage and interrupted proceedings while Mrs Biden was at a campaign consequence in 2020, and the farm owner felt that the true cat had bonded with the Commencement Lady. For various reasons it wasn't possible for her to be welcomed at the White House until later, so she lived with a fosterer, merely upon arrival in Washington she soon began to settle in and starting time exploring her new home, where she joined the Bidens' 4-month-former German language shepherd puppy called Commander.

A comprehensive listing of presidential pets can be found at Wikipedia.

Acknowledgements:
For the account of Socks, and many of the photographs of him, I have fatigued heavily on information in Hillary Rodham Clinton's book, Honey Socks, Love Buddy, published in 1998 by Simon & Schuster, New York, which presents a representative sample of the children's letters written to the White House pets. I am indebted too to Deborah Bush, Archives Specialist of the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, for her help (and for sending some extra photos); and to the Office of the Outset Lady of Arkansas as noted to a higher place.

Annotation: you may also like to read well-nigh Socks' feline counterpart in United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland,
Humphrey of Downing Street
The folio includes his successor Sybil and others — and, from mid-February 2011,
Number ten's latest feline resident Larry

Also take a wait at our Featuring Felines section where there are many more tales and adventures of past and living cats. By and large they are not equally famous, or their fame is (or was) more localised or transient, merely they often have interesting stories to tell. At that place we have collections of Cats' Adventures, Cats in Wartime, Church building Cats, Library Cats and many more.

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Our featured feline at the head of the folio is Simon of HMS Amethyst.
He remains the just cat always to have been awarded the Dickin Medal for gallantry under enemy fire,
in what became known equally the 'Yangtse Incident' (1949).
Read Simon's story.

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