Who’s really in charge?

The secret influence of First Felines in the White House

At first glance, the presidents seem to run the White House. But behind the scenes, it may well be the First Felines who are truly in control. A succession of presidential cats have prowled the halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, dazzling leaders of the free world into submission with their furry charms.

Abraham Lincoln was the first president to bring a cat into the White House in 1864, adopting Tabby who was meant to catch mice. But it wasn’t long before Tabby had Lincoln wrapped around her paw, convincing the great emancipator to schedule cabinet meetings around her nap times.

Calvin Coolidge and his wife Grace were equally enamored with their White House cat Smokey, who they credited with boosting Coolidge’s polling numbers thanks to his friendly demeanor. “Publicity follows Smokey,” Grace remarked, as photos of the black and white cat nabbing front page newspaper spots translated to votes at the ballot box.

Bill Clinton may have thought he adopted Socks the cat in 1993 to amuse daughter Chelsea. But how else to explain Socks’ accompaniment on official state trips and unprecedented interviews with major media outlets if not to advance a stealth feline agenda? The tabby cat quickly became one of Clinton’s most influential advisors.