Topline
First Lady Jill Biden welcomed a new cat, Willow, to the White House Friday, following more than a year of feline-themed questions after she said she would like to get a cat when moving into the White House back in 2020.
Key Facts
“Meet Willow,” First Lady Jill Biden tweeted on Friday, sharing three photos of the White House’s newest resident on Twitter.
Before moving into the White House, two-year-old Willow—named after the first lady’s hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania—was a farm cat in Pennsylvania.
The gray and white tabby cat reportedly made an impression on the first lady when she was on the campaign trail in 2020, said the first lady’s spokesperson, Michael LaRosa.
LaRosa said Willow is settling in well with "her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore."
Key Background
Willow—the first cat in the White House since the George W. Bush administration—joins Commander, a German shepherd puppy the Bidens welcomed in December and is the fourth pet the Bidens have had since taking office. The Bidens’ other dog Champ, also a German shepherd, died in 2021 at the age of 13 and Major, a younger rescue of the same breed, was rehomed after several biting incidents.
