Presidential Cats, part 4 - Meet Willow

We are thrilled that there is a feline back in the White House!

Last week, First Lady Jill Biden shared photos of the new household addition, Willow, on her Twitter feed:

Willow posing on a windowseat at the White House.
(Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

He is a two-year-old tabby that she first met at a 2020 campaign stop on a farm in Willow Grove, PA, where they are said to have bonded immediately. 

This former farm cat (aka garden cat!) is settling right in.

Willow gazing out a White House window.
(Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

Willow exploring the White House greenery.
(Official White House Photo by Erin Scott)

See our previous posts about past Presidential cats here and here and here.

Yoder Cat

This photo is in the Library of Congress royalty-free collection. It is credited to: Highsmith, Carol M., 1946- Carol M. Highsmith Archive.

The caption reads:

   A contented cat at Yoder's Amish Home, an authentic Amish farm that began accepting visitors in 1983 near Walnut Creek in central Ohio, along the "Amish Country Byway." 

   A wide assortment of farm animals and pets roam freely here. The Amish are a simple-living, plain-dressing, mostly rural people, originating in Central Europe, whose society spread from Pennsylvania and other eastern American states into rural areas to the west, beginning in Ohio.

Farm Ninja

Bethany Karn shared these photos of Jack, the Flower Farm cat. She said, "Jack is a new addition to the flower farming team at M and M Plants in Dickerson, MD. He is about 8 or 9 months old and all black (except for a few white chest hairs). He’s a speedy little guy who is earning his nickname as Farm Ninja. He came to Mark and Madgie McGaughan's farm after a niece graduated from Mount St. Mary’s college and her post graduation plans could not accommodate a cat. Jack went from a sheltered campus life to the wide open spaces of 5 acres of flowers. Because the new environment is so different, Mark and Madgie are taking their time with his adjustment period, slowly showing him the farm and gingerly introducing him to the  “Elders;” existing cats Dax and Judsea. Jack is very eager to become their best friends. The Elders think the jury is still out on that one, but they are hissing at him less and less each day. 

"He is slowly being shown the grounds of the farm and enjoys following Madgie out into the greenhouse and down the long rows of dahlias, cosmos, sunflowers, salvia, and lisianthus. He is a huge fan of butterflies (of which there are many) and a very eager participant in bouquet-making activities. He pants like a dog with excitement over his new exhilarating freedom and everyone on the farm (except maybe the butterflies) is happy to have him on hand."

Farm Supervisor

Thanks for sharing this with us Pamela Trochesset!

Sweet Sachet

Deborah Williamson of Seven Oaks Lavender Farm in Catlett, Virginia, shared this kitty. She is named Suzy Lavender Sachet. Must be a sweet life!

Urban Farmer

Phantom is a feral cat on an urban farm in downtown Silver Spring, MD. Note the tipped ear. Lynn Koiner says, "He and his brother, Spirit, are part of a local trap-and-release program. They keep down the rodent and rabbit population on the one-acre farm." To learn more about the Koiners urban farm, go here.

The Cat's Meow

This daylily enthusiast in Carroll County, Maryland, named her collector's garden after the cat's she adores. She grows and sells gorgeous daylilies from her expansive garden as well as offering a traditional English tea on certain dates. Learn more at:
http://www.thecatsmeowdaylilygarden.com/App_Content/home.aspx

Deep Roots

Meet Dandelion. "This Southern Belle enjoys eating vast quantities of dry cat food instead of mice, lying in the shade to watch you load wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of compost, and prowling the tomato patch to be sure you cut out all the blight. She does not enjoy getting out of the harvest bin or dieting."

Pamela Hess, Executive Director of  Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, in Alexandria, VA, writes, "Dandelion enjoys jumping in your car, biting your arm, and tricking you into giving her extra food."

"She dislikes: when you kick her out of your car and when you don''t give her extra food."

 

 

Shady Character

I spotted this kitty on a Facebook page of  Abdellah Farmer - Boudhira Abdellah.

He wrote: "When I'm working at the farm he follows me around all the day. I worked today weeding the squash while he is sought out the shade so he can stay close and watch me. He found no better place other than the shade of squash leaves."

He is also a good garden hunter, reported Abdellah. "He catches mice, he killed a snake last year, and I saw him climb the olive tree to get to the nest of the crow."

"Cut Your Own" Cats

Maxwell and cut flowers

Josh Flynn of Wollam Gardens, an 11-acre, commercial cut flower farm in Jeffersonton, VA, submitted these two flower farm kitties:

Maxwell - orange, 14/15 years old, adopted, he was picked up as a friend for another cat that was currently living at the farm and the farm had a problem with turning away cats in need of a home.

    Max loves to sleep in our rooting chambers and is generally pretty lazy/lounging around all the time. The trick with him is that he absolutely loves to be pet and when we are seeding flats or doing cuttings he just won't leave you alone, walks on the flats, etc. Yet, if you pet him, sometimes if you stop before he wanted you to he'll give you a slap — claws and all. Also, Max loves crates!

Lyla - black, 5-6 years old, adopted, she was found at a local junkyard and definitely needed a home. Lyla previously couldn't be picked up or even pet, but has since come around. She tries to sneak into the house, but if she ever gets in the house, she panics and runs around looking for a way out. Lyla will also follow us around the farm and lay on the beds when we're planting them or jumping between tall flowers when we're cutting them. She is head mouser and is some variety of miniature cat where she always has the appearance of a kitten.  

Both of them are very sweet and do a great job on the farm. They live in the greenhouse during the winter and can be found anywhere when the weather is nice. The only problem we have with them is they like to use our lily and bulb crates that we're forcing as a bathroom. There have been many cats on the farm over the years, but Max and Lyla make a good pair. 

Max and Lyla on greenhouse bench

Max in a crate

Lyla on weed cloth and seedlings

La Niña

David Creech from Happy Cat Farm submitted this orange feline. "This is Nina from Inverbrook Farm in Pennsylvania. I took this picture on a rainy day about five years ago, when I was working on the farm. I'm not going to lie; Nina could be mean as a snake. But on this afternoon, he (yes, he) looked so adorable snoozing on those bags of soil in the hoophouse that I couldn't help but grab my camera and take a few photos. Here's another one of Nina in the middle of a big ol' cat yawn: "

We Three...

My cousin, Jessica Eikenberry Paullus, took these photos in Indiana of three barn cats playing at a farm. They are approximately four-months-old and are full of vim and vigor.

A Roll in the Hay

Matthew Cuba (@MattintheGarden on Twitter) sent photos of his barn cat, Princess. He wrote: "The name fits. She's probably the friendliest cat we've ever had and was a rescue that we got from a no-kill shelter out in Orange, VA. She is around 5 years old now"

"She and her fellow barn cats do an admirable job of keeping birds from nesting in the barn (and messing on everything in the barn) and in keeping the mouse and rat population in check."

"One picture (above) is Princess doing what she does best: supervising my activities in the garden.  On that day, she was doing quality control on the straw I was spreading.  I think she approved."

"The other is a shot (below) of Princess attempting to evict some bluebirds from one of the birdhouses.  Fortunately for the birds she couldn't quite reach them due to the position of the entrance.  I snapped the shot and then shooed her away so the adult birds could get back to the the nest."

 

 

Urban Farm Cat

This kitty was submitted by Common Good City Farm in Washington, DC. Common Good City Farm is an urban farm and education center growing food with and for low-income residents in Washington, DC and providing educational opportunities for all people. 

Common Good staff wrote, "It's a neighbor's cat who likes to visit the farm, so we don't have many details." This kitty clearly relishes his visits to this little urban oasis. Even city farms need a farm cat. Maybe they need them even MORE than rural farms due to the city's aggressive rat population.

William the Conqueror

 

The staff of the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture in Alexandria, VA, submitted this little cutie. Arcadia Farm is located on the historic grounds of Woodlawn Estate. 

"Behold, William, the Mighty Arcadia Barn Cat. 

Born and raised at Mount Vernon, William joined the Arcadia staff this spring and has absolutely failed at killing anything worthwhile. William, it turns out, is a lover. Folks who have visited the farm have taken classes with him sitting on the bench next to them. He runs up the brick path in the middle of the farm and leaps into your arms when you arrive. He has a weird meow.

For the winter, he has been ordered to guard the homestead of a brave Army officer on the grounds of Fort Belvoir"

William himself also wrote to say: 

"I shall miss the volunteers, groundhogs, and mice whom I befriended during my assignment at Arcadia, but the blow of separation is lessened by the fact that the family under my care is in desperate need of a fluffy kitty with extremely large paws who prefers cuddles to doing violence. On this front I shall not disappoint.

I am doubly pleased that my duties keep me on Mr. Washington’s original property. I do not like to stray too far from my birthplace, Mount Vernon.

I am told I had a benefactor cover the doctor bill, and that she is a great admirer. I blush. Kat, I thank you and look forward to renewing our acquaintance when I resume my former duties.

My post continues to surprise me with ever more sybaritic pleasures. There is this thing they call 'sofa' that envelopes me in lavish warmth. I must be careful around it as its temptations threaten to dull my wits. My duties require me to be ever sharp, so I am exercising a wholesome discipline and rise from it several times a day.

Salutations,
Willam the Barn Cat"