Willow the White House cat joins Bidens’ pet family – The Guardian

Two-year-old, gray and white farm cat made an impression on Jill Biden during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania in 2020
The newest member of the Biden team has arrived at the White House: a long-promised pet cat for the first family.
The two-year-old, green-eyed, gray and white farm cat caught Jill Biden’s eye when she jumped on stage and interrupted a speech the first lady was giving during the 2020 presidential campaign.
She has decided to name the cat Willow, after her home town of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
“Willow is settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats and plenty of room to smell and explore,” said Michael LaRosa, the first lady’s spokesperson.
After Joe Biden was elected in November 2020, Jill Biden had said the first family would bring a pet cat to the White House.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, has been inundated with questions about the cat’s arrival ever since. “I’m also wondering about the cat, because the cat is going to dominate the internet,” she said in January last year. Finally, last month, the White House confirmed the cat would come this year, in January.
Jill Biden became acquainted with Willow after she interrupted a 2020 campaign stop in Pennsylvania, LaRosa said. “Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr Biden,” he said.
But the road to the White House has been long for Willow. Jill Biden told the New York Times last year that she was being cared for by a foster parent who had grown attached to her.
“The cat is still being fostered with somebody who loves the cat,” she said. “I don’t even know whether I can get the cat back at this point.”
The White House hasn’t had a feline resident since India, President George W Bush’s black cat. Before that, black-and-white Socks – who seemed to enjoy the limelight – lived with the Clintons when they were in the White House.
Abraham Lincoln had two cats called Tabby and Dixie, and the president reportedly once said that Dixie was more intelligent than his cabinet.
Willow joins Commander, a German shepherd puppy Joe Biden introduced in December as a birthday gift from the president’s brother James Biden and his wife, Sara.
The Bidens had two other German shepherds, Champ and Major, at the White House before Commander.
But Major, a three-year-old rescue dog, started behaving aggressively after he arrived in January 2021, including two biting incidents. The White House had said Major was still adjusting to his new home, and he was sent back to the Bidens’ Delaware home for training.
The Bidens, after consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists and veterinarians, decided to follow the experts’ collective recommendation and send Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends, LaRosa said last month.
Champ died in June at age 13.
Associated Press contributed to this report

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