8 geniuses who were avid cat lovers

"Life isn't the same without a cat," goes the popular saying. Avid cat lovers are found not only among social media users, but also among artists, politicians, and writers.

Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway wasn't always known as a cat person. But one day, his friend Stanley Dexter gave the writer a kitten. The fluffy little creature was named Snowball. He had a curious feature: six toes on his front paws instead of the usual five. This was a genetic abnormality, but Hemingway saw it as a lucky sign. The sailors with whom he interacted often believed that six-toed cats brought good luck.

Gradually, around two hundred cats came to live in the writer's homes in Florida and Cuba. All the animals received excellent care and unusual names. Hemingway named his pets after Hollywood stars and fellow writers. Thus, the writer's guests were able to see the beautiful Audrey Hepburn hunting mice, and the tabby Gary Truman napping on the windowsill. Descendants of those cats still live at Hemingway's villa.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury, a music idol, had his own personal obsession: his cats. The Queen singer's first pets were named Tom and Jerry, after the famous cartoon characters. His love for his feline family only grew over time. It truly blossomed when Freddie had pets named Tiffany and Oscar. On tour, the musician missed them terribly, and when he called home, the cats would also take the phone. Mercury brought his pets toys from tour and spent every free moment interacting with them.

When Tiffany was diagnosed with cancer and was scheduled for euthanasia, her caring owner even interrupted his tour to return home and say goodbye to his little girl. His cat, Delilah, also supported the musician in his final hours.

Karl Lagerfeld

The couturier had a love for his only feline, but it was a very strong one. Karl Lagerfeld called his cat Choupette the center of his world. She had all the privileges of a wealthy lady: silverware, personal maids who helped with hygiene, groomed her snow-white fur and eyes, and entertained her.

Many are still surprised that Karl Lagerfeld left his cat 3 million euros. However, Choupette is indeed entitled to the money—she inspired the designer's new collection of handbags and keychains in black and white. The cat had a capricious nature and couldn't stand other animals or children.

Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh had a fondness for furry pets since childhood. When she was little, she was allowed to take a cat into her bed. Tissie became the actress's favorite; she arrived in the film star's home in the 1930s.

Vivien's husband later gave her a Siamese cat, named New Boy. He accompanied the star everywhere. The animal wore a collar with gold-plated bells. The cat was happy to pose for the press, imitating his famous owner. The boy's fate was tragic: he was killed by a car.

All of Vivien Leigh's subsequent cats were also Siamese. They inherited New Boy's collar. At the time of her death, her owner was accompanied by her last pet, Poo Jones.

Joseph Brodsky

Brodsky's phrase, "Would you like me to wake up the cat for you?" served as a sign of the poet's special affection for a guest. He dedicated poems to his cats, of which he had many throughout his life. Like Joseph Brodsky's poetry, the animals had unusual names: "The Cat in White Boots," "Big Red," "Glitch," and "Mississippi." The latter outlived its owner. Brodsky even dedicated poetry to the pets of his friends.

The poem about a homeless ginger cat hints at the fate of Joseph Alexandrovich himself, who was also persecuted in life. He repeatedly admitted in his works that he himself would like to be a cat in his next life.

Mark Twain

Mark Twain preferred cats to people. He believed that a house must have a cat; otherwise, it's not a home, but a temporary shelter. Even when traveling, Twain couldn't live a day without animals. Once, while vacationing in Dublin, he asked the locals to rent him a cat.

At various times, Mark Twain owned up to 19 cats at one time. Being an extraordinary man, the writer gave his pets unusual nicknames: Beelzebub, Apollinaris, Satan, Sin, Buffalo Bill, Zoroaster, Palestine, and Chatterbox. He even had cats named Sour Jam and Soapy Salt.

Pablo Picasso

Picasso depicted cats in his paintings. An entire series of paintings is dedicated to women playing with these animals. The cats emphasize the sexual subtext of the paintings. However, many cat lovers are outraged by the artist's manner of depicting these graceful animals.

Picasso's passion wasn't for pedigreed, pampered cats, but for simple alley cats. The genius loved watching them catch birds and rodents and run free. He celebrated their wild nature and love.

Winston Churchill

Churchill's cats were welcome at events where even some British politicians had limited access. Nelson the cat attended several War Council meetings during World War II.

When Churchill met with the American president aboard a warship in 1941, a black cat snuggled up to him. A photographer captured the moment. The cat was later renamed from "Black" to "Churchill." Even when the ship was holed in a battle with the Japanese, the cat was the first to be rescued.

The English politician was especially fond of red-haired Jock. Churchill wouldn't even sit down to dinner without him.