The Most Famous Cats In History

Humans have been obsessed with cats for what seems like eternity. Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats, "associating [them] to specific deities" (via Smithsonian Magazine), while ferocious Vikings took the sometimes-cuddly creatures on seafaring adventures. In Islam, it is believed that the Prophet Muhammad had a cat, Muezza, and when he found her sleeping on the sleeve of his robe, he used scissors to cut around her, tearing his garments instead of disturbing her (via Kashmir Observer).

These days, as revealed by National Geographic, there are over 80 million felines in the U.S. and approximately three cats for every dog in the world. And while cats are known to be much more aloof and independent than their canine counterparts, sometimes they surprise us. According to the Washington Post, while "no one has bred cats to guard houses, herd livestock or assist hunters," some felines have done some pretty incredible things — and they'll make you question who truly is man's best friend. Let's look at the most famous cats in history.

In the spring of 1941, the Bismarck, a German battleship, set sail towards the North Atlantic, tasked with the duty to "attack the vast naval convoys" that carried important supplies from North America to Great Britain (via "100 Cats Who Changed Civilization"). While many considered the Bismarck a leading warship of World War II, it didn't stop the British Royal Navy from jumping into battle and attacking the German behemoth right as it set sail. As the story goes, after viciously fighting for three days, the Bismarck was finally defeated, with only a few crewmembers surviving — including one lucky cat.

The Bismarck's black and white kitty, Oscar, was brought on board the opposing ship, the HMS Cossack, and renamed Unsinkable Sam. His new name was appropriate for him, as a mere five months into sailing with the Cossack, the ship was sunk by a German submarine, with Sam miraculously surviving yet again. He was then taken aboard the HMS Ark Royal, where Sam truly tested how many of his lives he had left and got away from yet another torpedoing, finally slinking onto the HMS Legion. It seems that authorities finally took pity on poor Sam and brought him to shore so he could retire from his naval career.

As noted by Jura, Sam landed the job of his life as a mouse-catcher in the office of the Governor-General of Gibraltar, before finally heading to Belfast to enjoy his old age "at the 'Home for Sailors.'"

In 2007, James Bowen's life changed when he came across a stray cat in London. Per USA Today, at the time, Bowen was struggling through life, battling a heroin addiction and busking to get by. He picked up the cat, spending the last of his money on taking him to a vet. As the Sun details, afterward, the cat hopped on a bus with Bowen, refusing to leave. The musician decided to adopt the kitty, naming him Bob, and soon enough, the pair were inseparable. Bowen performed in the streets with his trusty companion always by his side.

According to USA Today, the curious duo caught the eye of a local reporter, who kicked off a media frenzy that then led to Bowen writing several books, including "A Street Cat Named Bob," which was later turned into a movie of the same name. Per USA Today, "together, the four books sold more than 8 million copies in 40 languages." Throughout all their success, Bowen maintained that he and Bob were "best mates," gushing to the press of his intelligence and good-hearted nature.

Sadly, Bob died in summer 2020. According to the BBC, Bowen released a statement, saying that Bob helped him in his recovery, ultimately saving his life. "He gave me so much more than companionship," Bowen wrote. "He's met thousands of people, touched millions of lives. There's never been a cat like him. And never will again."

Cats aren't known to be particularly mindful of personal space. From infuriatingly sitting on your laptop right as you're about to start your work day or brushing up against you right after you've lint-rolled your entire body, they just don't care. Curiously enough, one England-based cat, Casper, was a polite member of the local community.

Susan Finden was once the proud owner of a fluffy black-and-white furball, Casper, whom she adopted from a rescue center in 2002 (via Reuters). Naming him after the cartoon ghost of the same name, Casper would act like him, too, often wandering from home yet always returning. As Finden revealed to the BBC, one day, as she was boarding a bus, she asked the driver to hurry up and get on the road or Casper may follow. "In actual fact, you are sitting in his seat," the driver quipped, and Susan discovered that her kitty had been "queueing patiently at the bus stop" for around four years, making trips around town (via the Guardian). Of course, he became a local celebrity with passengers and drivers alike, eventually making global headlines.

Sadly, this everyday commuter's journey came to an end in 2010. Per Reuters, Casper died after a hit-and-run. Finden put a sign up at the bus stop, writing, "Many local people knew Casper, who loved everyone — he also enjoyed the bus journeys."

You probably know who Koko the gorilla is. The famous western lowland gorilla that learned to communicate with humans by using sign language was world-renowned for her abilities, attracting the attention of many — even late actor Robin Williams shared a connection with the famous ape.

One curious little addition to Koko's life that also made news stories worldwide was All Ball, a gray-and-white kitten that the gorilla chose as her pet. Per the Los Angeles Times, in July 1984, Koko had chosen All Ball out of a litter of cats, naming her because the feline simply reminded her of a ball. "Koko likes to rhyme words in sign language," Ron Cohn, a biologist at the Gorilla Foundation, shared with the outlet. Koko and All Ball were inseparable, playing for "about an hour a day" and even landing on the cover of National Geographic, with the kitten curled up in the ape's arms.

Unfortunately, Koko's time with All Ball was cut short. In January 1985, a car struck the cat, killing it. Koko grieved for "several days" and wept, eventually "folding her hands and placing them at the side of her head," which meant, "Sleep. Cat."

Just as some people are cynophobic (or, in layman's terms, fear dogs), a similar fear exists with cats. Those who have ailurophobia, per Healthline, are usually victims of a feline attack, and considering the unpredictability of these creatures, it's a pretty rational phobia to have. Now, that's the case for living, breathing cats — but what can be said about those that come from supernatural forces?

According to Atlas Obscura, the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., has been home to countless ghost stories for over two centuries. Oddly enough, the one tale of the supernatural that always seems to garner the most attention is that of the Demon Cat. Steve Livengood, the chief tour guide of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, told the outlet that the story of the Demon Cat "[dates] back to at least the 19th century," noting that the most popular version of the legend states "that a guard was on patrol one night when he saw a black cat approaching." Getting closer to the guard, the cat grew in size and pounced on the man, who tried fending for himself, only to disappear.

Livengood is skeptical of the legend's validity. He claims the guards at the time had "drinking problem[s]" and could have easily mistaken a housecat licking their faces as a giant monster. This, however, hasn't stopped others from claiming to have seen sightings "around the hall between the Crypt of the Capitol and the Old Supreme Court Chamber" (via Cloture Club).

On average, cats have a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years (via WebMD). One cat owner from Austin, Texas, however, has broken the Guinness World Record not once, but twice, for owning the world's oldest cat.

As revealed by Atlas Obscura, Jake Perry prides himself on being a "cat man," and he won his first Guinness World Record in 1998 for his "part Sphynx, part Devon Rex [cat] named Granpa Rexs Allen," who died after reaching a whopping 34 years. His second win came in 2005 with the 38-year-old Creme Puff, who, as of 2021, holds the record for the "oldest cat ever" (via Guinness World Records). Miraculously enough, Creme Puff lived from 1967 until 2004. So, what's Perry's secret?

For one, his kitties have a unique diet. Along with the traditional dry kibble most cats eat, Perry feeds them "eggs, turkey bacon, broccoli, coffee with cream, and — every two days — about an eyedropper full of red wine to 'circulate the arteries'" (via Atlas Obscura). The boozed-up felines then have an option to promenade over to their local cinema (Perry's garage, which he "converted into a home movie theater"), where they can sit and take in one of the nature docs "exclusively" played for them. "These are my children," Perry told the outlet proudly. "I looked after them until they passed on. That's the way I was raised up."

Tardar Sauce, or Grumpy Cat as she is commonly referred to online, needs no introduction. According to Tardar Sauce's website, this accidental internet legend rose to fame after her owners posted a photo of her on Reddit in 2012. After speculative users began throwing out the idea that the image was photoshopped, the cat-mom and dad "posted a few videos on YouTube," and the Grumpy Cat sensation was born.

The kitty, who, in fact, isn't actually "grumpy" but looks the way she does due to feline dwarfism, was a hit, and as CNN notes, she became "such a cultural phenomenon" that merchandise was soon created, including comics, shoes, and even perfumes. Like many other viral stars, Tardar Sauce was toted around on "several US TV shows" and mingled with various celebrities. She even became Purina Friskies' official "spokescat." As Forbes explains, the Grumpy Cat hysteria occurred at the perfect time, and she can easily be considered "one of the pioneers of meme culture" that has only grown today.

Sadly, Grumpy Cat died in May 2019 after complications from a urinary tract infection. As her owners said, "Grumpy Cat has helped millions of people smile all around the world — even when times were tough."