Willow (cat) explained

Willow
Species:Domestic cat
Breed:Domestic short-haired cat
Gender:Female
Birth Date:3 January 2020[1]
Birth Place:Western Pennsylvania, U.S.
Term:January 28, 2022 – present
Occupation:United States presidential pet
Residence:White House
Years Active:2021–present
Owner:Biden family
Appearance:Tabby cat with light green eyes, striped light and dark grey fur
Namedafter:Willow Grove, Pennsylvania

Willow (born January 3, 2020) is an American tabby domestic short-haired cat owned by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Formerly a farm cat, she was adopted by the Biden family from Rick Telesz as part of a campaign promise to adopt a cat into the First Family and is named after Jill Biden's hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Willow is the first cat to live in the White House since India, who was owned by President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.[2]

Biography

Willow is a former farm cat that was born in Western Pennsylvania, and was formerly owned by Rick Telesz, a farmer in Volant, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.[3] [4] She has green eyes. Biden has stated that “[Willow] has no limits” and that “in the middle of the night she climbs up and lays on top of [his] head”.[5]

Adoption

Jill Biden first met Willow during a campaign speech at the farm where she resided and she immediately bonded with her. In an interview Jill stated that the cat had, between then and her adoption by the Bidens, been living with a foster family, and that she had grown attached to the cat.[6] Rick Telesz, Willow's former owner, claimed that he received a phone call where he was informed that Jill wanted to adopt Willow from him.[7]

Willow's adoption was part of a campaign promise to adopt a cat into the First Family,[8] and after being so, was named Willow Biden, after Jill's hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.[9]

Willow was adopted in February 2021, but only came to live in the White House in 2022 because of concerns that she would not get along with the Biden family's German Shepherd Major.[10] The dog reportedly had biting issues and was sent to live with friends of the Biden family in Delaware.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rogers. Kate. Relax, America: Willow, the White House Cat, Has Arrived. The New York Times. January 28, 2022. January 28, 2022. January 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128103527/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/28/us/politics/biden-cat-willow.html. live.
  2. Web site: Oladipo. Gloria. 2022-01-28. Willow the White House cat joins Bidens' pet family. 2022-01-28. The Guardian. en. January 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128213131/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jan/28/white-house-cat-willow-joe-jill-biden. live.
  3. News: Heyl. Eric. New Biden White House Cat Willow Hails From PA. 6 February 2022. Patch. 31 January 2022. en. February 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220206130952/https://patch.com/pennsylvania/pittsburgh/new-biden-white-house-cat-willow-hails-pa. live.
  4. News: Penington. Lauren. Biden's cat, Willow, joins long line of presidential pets. 6 February 2022. KLKN-TV. 31 January 2022. February 6, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220206130149/https://www.klkntv.com/bidens-cat-willow-joins-long-line-of-presidential-pets/. live.
  5. Web site: Haroun. Azmi. 2023-01-26. Biden confirms that White House cat Willow has 'no limits' and sleeps on top of his head at night. 2023-08-09. Business Insider. en. June 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630153739/https://www.businessinsider.com/biden-presidential-cat-willow-sleeps-top-of-head-at-night-2023-1. live.
  6. News: Mason. Jeff. 2022-01-28. Bidens welcome Willow the cat to the White House. en. Reuters. 2022-01-28. January 28, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220128213132/https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/bidens-welcome-willow-cat-white-house-2022-01-28/. live.
  7. News: Willow, The Biden Family Cat, Is From Western Pennsylvania. 6 February 2022. CBS Pittsburgh. 30 January 2022. February 7, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220207153235/https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2022/01/30/willow-biden-family-cat-western-pennsylvania/. live.
  8. Web site: Meet Willow, the Bidens' new, very presidential-looking cat. 2022-01-28. NPR. January 28, 2022. Jacobs. Harrison. January 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129224945/https://www.npr.org/2022/01/28/1076323003/biden-cat-white-house-willow. live.
  9. News: Judkis. Maura. January 28, 2022. The Bidens finally have a White House cat. World, meet Willow.. en-US. The Washington Post. 2022-01-29. 0190-8286. January 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129044202/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/01/28/biden-cat-willow-white-house/. live.
  10. Web site: Rink . Matthew . First kitty: Willow Biden, new White House cat, hails from Volant, Pennsylvania, farm . 2023-12-21 . Erie Times-News . en-US.

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