I Wanna Be Famouse!

"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes."(Andy Warhol).

Ahhhh......the bane of modern life.....it used to be if you asked any well brought up kitten what they wanted it be when they were older, they would say, a Champion Mouser or  Ship's Cat but now, the 21st Century Celebrity obsessed kitty will say "I Wanna Be Famouse!"

Those Kin who sold out

While it is true that some cats sold out to the almighty God of Celebrity (Top Cat, Tom (of Tom & Jerry), Sylvester (of Sylvester and Tweety Pie), Bagpuss, Garfield, Felix, The Cat in the Hat, Puss-in-Boots) others have been more dignified.

The Famous Office Cats

Cats have always featured heavily in the public eye - Abraham Lincoln introduced "Tabby" as the first White House cat, while the 29th President, Calvin Coolidge used to carry "Tiger" (a grey stripped stray) around his neck and when "Tom Kitten" (John F. Kennedy's Cat) died in 1962, he was given an obituary notice by the press! Even Downing Street had Humphrey, who was ousted by The Blairs when they arrived (presumably Cherie "Cheshire Cat Grin" Blair did not like the fellow Cat competition!)

Then there are the brave and intrepid Cat-kin 

Mrs. Chippy (actually male!), a tiger-striped tabby, was taken on board the Endurance by Harry McNish (the ship's carpenter, whose skills saved them from certain ruin), as a ship's cat and could walk along the ship's inch-wide rails in even the roughest seas and took great delight in jumping over the kennels of the sled dogs. Shackleton ordered him shot with the dogs when the ship was destroyed. The faithful McNish never forgave Shackleton and showed subordination, which cost him the Polar Medal, awarded to most of the rest of the crew http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3818613.stm 

McNish is a cat folk hero - and a bronze statue of Chippy was placed on McNish's grave to honour the special bond between them. 

Scarlett (USA) who rushed into the flames of a burning building again and again to save her kittens, even when her eyes blistered shut. She identified her kittens using her nose, counting the five to make sure that she’d saved them all before collapsing into unconsciousness. Scarlett lived for another 12 years in the loving home of her adoptive family and continued to make headlines for quite some time. She was featured in numerous articles and books, and on the TV program Animal Planet. The Scarlett Room, which showcases animals available for adoption, and an animal heroism award have been created in her name.

Macavity, a mystery cat in the UK that rides the Number 331 bus several times each week, arriving at the same time at his usual stop, and getting off near a local fish and chips shop. The white cat, which has one blue eye and one orange eye, is said by fellow commuters to be the ideal travel companion because he “sits quietly [and] minds his own business."

<sup>The Web Heroes Maru (aka "Box Cat) (Japan)
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/maru-the-cat
He seems to exhibit an exaggerated form of dumb cat behaviour - he is obsessed with boxes. Whenever Maru sees an open box, he must instinctively jump into it. He has his own Wikipedia page and Blog and “Entertainment Weekly" mentions Maru alongside Keyboard Cat and Nora the cat in its Notable Kitty Videos article. As of September 2009, Maru’s channel is the 9th most subscribed in Japan.”.

The Darker Side Cats
There are of course cats with a "touch of the night" about them - Brrrrrrrrr - Like Oscar the "death predicting Cat" (of Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center of Providence, Rhode Island, for those of you who wish to avoid!). He is not particularly sociable – until a patient is on the verge of death, when he then snuggles up beside the dying individual, maintaining his vigil until the patient passes away. If denied access to the patient, Oscar will scratch frantically at the door!!!! Ghoulishly Freaky!!!!)
The Victims
This week I was reminded that some young "Wanna Be's" will do anything to get their Fifteen Minutes of Fame.</sup>

<sup>Lola, the 4 year old Coventry Tabby, is now "milking" (excuse the pun!) her new found fame - true she was dumped in a bin for 15 hours, but how many times did her Mummy Cat tell her not to talk to strangers, let alone rub up against them, purr and draw attention to herself?! Hopefully the terrible fate that befell her will alert other Kitty-Kin that you cannot trust strangers, even if they tickle your tummy! Worse than that she sold her story to "The Sun" and was inundated with "Whiskas Goodies" for her troubles - I ask you - does she look contrite?
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3110434/Its-just-a-cat-I-put-Lola-in-bin-for-joke-whats-all-the-fuss-says-Mary.html

So I'm left thinking what about my Fifteen Minutes of Fame?</sup> 

^{I could get my human owners to "stage a Lola", but only if they also put in the bin my bedding, my kibble, my Catnip-chew toy-mouse, and some Cat Milk. Having said that, when I was "found" all my "stuff" would be a giveaway, so I am going to have to think of another route to fame. Having heard some of the "singers" on The X Factor, I am sure I could give singing a few bars of "Memory" (Grizella's Aria from "Cats") a go. I am sure that the Autotune they are all talking about will sort out my Cat-erwauling!}

...."Memory,
All alone in the moonlight....^{Meooooooouuuuwwwww!!!!!!"}