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Joe and Jill Biden set to bring new cat to the White House

The cat will join the Biden family's two German shepherds as the newest White House pets.
/ Source: TODAY

The Biden family may have to make room for one more as they prepare for their move into the White House in January.

President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill Biden, revealed to CBS Sunday Morning that they will be bringing a cat with them alongside their two German shepherds.

"President-elect @JoeBiden and his wife @DrBiden won’t just be bringing their German shepherds, Major and Champ to the White House,” a Friday evening tweet from CBS Sunday Morning read. “The Bidens tell us exclusively that soon they’ll be joined by a cat.”

Biden teased the news when she spoke with Fox 5 anchor Angie Goff in September. When asked if her husband promised her anything if he won the election this year, she replied, “Well, I’d love to get a cat. I love having animals around the house.”

This lucky feline will be joining the Biden’s two German shepherds, Major and Champ, as the first two pets in the White House since Barack Obama’s Portuguese water dogs, Bo and Sunny.

The Biden’s dog Major will also be the first rescue dog to ever live in the White House. Major was adopted in 2018 after the Bidens fostered him from the Delaware Humane Association.

They got Champ as a puppy from a breeder in 2008 after Biden made good on his promise to his wife that if he and Obama won the 2008 election, they would buy a dog. Champ’s name was chosen by Biden’s granddaughters, based on his father's nickname for him.

The Biden's future cat won't be the first feline to prowl 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Former President Jimmy Carter's daughter Amy had a Siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang while Bill Clinton and his family had a cat named Socks.

The last cat in the White House belonged to former president George W. Bush’s family. The Bush daughters named the family cat India after the former Texas Rangers player Rubén Sierra, whose nickname was “El Indio.” After Barbara and Jenna went to college, India stayed at the White House with the president and first lady.

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