India (Hauskatze)
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- This article is about India, the cat. For other uses, see India (disambiguation).
India "Willie" Bush (c. 1990 – January 4, 2009) was a black cat owned by U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. She lived with the Bush family for almost two decades.
The Bushes acquired India, an all black, female American Shorthair,[1] as a kitten in late 1991 or 1992 when twin daughters Barbara and Jenna Bush were 9. India remained with George and Laura Bush once their daughters left for college.[2] The cat moved with the Bushes to the White House from the Texas Governor's Mansion in Austin in early 2001 following the inauguration of George W. Bush as president.[2]
There was some controversy reported in India as several people were upset with the cat's name. In the Indian state of Kerala, for example, 101 dogs were reportedly renamed 'Bush' in protest to President Bush's cat being called India.[3] In July 2004, demonstrators in the southern Keralian city of Thiruvananthapuram denounced the cat's name as an insult to the nation of India and even burned an effigy of President Bush in protest.[2] The Bushes did not change the cat's name in response to the demonstrations.[2]
In actuality, the cat is not named for the country of India, yet rather for baseball player Rubén Sierra who was nicknamed "El Indio", during his time with the Texas Rangers when Bush owned the team.[4] The name had reportedly been given to the family cat by daughter, Barbara Bush.[2]
Despite living at the White House with the First Family, India had been largely overshadowed in the media by two of the Bushes' more famous Scottish terriers, Barney and Miss Beazley.[1] The dogs received significantly more media attention from the White House press corps during the Bush presidency.[2]
India died at the White House on January 4, 2009, at the age of 18.[5][6] In a statement to the press regarding India's death, Sally McDonough, a spokesperson for First Lady Laura Bush, noted that the family was "deeply saddened" by their cat's death.[1] An except of the statement released to the press stated, "India was a beloved member of the Bush family for almost two decades. She will be greatly missed."[1]
See also
References
Further reading
The Bush family cat makes an appearance on p. 153 of the March 2008 Architectural Digest, as "Willie", in the White House's East Sitting Hall.
External links
- ↑ a b c d 'First Feline' India dead at 18 In: United Press International, 5. Januar 2009. Abgerufen am 7. Januar 2009
- ↑ a b c d e f Rick Dunham: Dogs overshadow death of Bush family's cat In: Houston Chronicle, 6. Januar 2009. Abgerufen am 7. Januar 2009
- ↑ Bush’s cat India provokes anger. (2004, July, 03). Deccan Herald.
- ↑ India's Official Biography
- ↑ Mark Knoller: Death Of A White House Underdog: The Cat In: CBS News, 5. Januar 2009. Abgerufen am 7. Januar 2009
- ↑ Gillman, Todd J., Bush family cat dies at White House Dallas Morning News, 2009-01-05, retrieved 2009-01-05