President Biden and first lady Jill Biden have welcomed a new furry feline friend to the White House.
The couple has announced they have a new cat named Willow, a 2-year-old short-haired tabby with green eyes and gray and white stripes.
“The First Lady named Willow after her hometown, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania,” said Michael LaRosa, press secretary for the first lady.
The first lady met Willow two years ago on a campaign stop in her home state.
“Willow made quite an impression on Dr. Biden in 2020 when she jumped up on the stage and interrupted her remarks during a campaign stop,” LaRosa added. “Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden.”
LaRosa also said the new "first cat" is learning the ins and outs of her new home on Pennsylvania Avenue.
“Willow is settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore, ” he said.
Willow’s addition comes about nine months after the couple said a new cat was on its way.
“She is waiting in the wings,” Jill Biden told Craig Melvin in April 2021, while saying the pet is a female.
The Bidens have talked about getting a cat since before the 2020 election, and word about the animal's arrival has been swirling for months.
“I’d love to get a cat. I love having animals around the house,” the first lady told Fox 5 in Washington, D.C., during the campaign.
Willow joins a long list of presidential pets, becoming the first feline in the White House since President George W. Bush’s cat, India, in 2009.
The Bidens have a well-known love of pets. Their German shepherd Major, whom they adopted in 2018, became the first rescue dog to live in the White House. He gained a measure of fame for nipping the hand of a Secret Service agent in March 2021. After being sent away for additional training, the pup has been living with friends of the Biden's in Delaware.
In December, the White House brought another dog into the fold when the Bidens announced they had welcomed another German shepherd, Commander. His arrival followed the June 2021 death of German shepherd Champ at the age of 13.