Appearance Black-and-white tuxedo Sex Male | Species Felis catus | |
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Other name(s) First Cat, First Cat of the United States Breed Domestic short-haired cat Born 1989 (estimated)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. ( 1989 ) Occupation First Cat of the United States (1993-2001), First Cat of Arkansas (1991-92) Died 20 February 2009, Hollywood, Maryland, United States Owners Bill Clinton, Betty Currie | ||
Socks Clinton (Spring 1989 – February 20, 2009) was the pet cat of U.S. President Bill Clinton's family during his presidency. As an adopted stray cat, he was the only pet of the Clintons during the early years of the administration, and his likeness hosted the children's version of the White House website. After Clinton left office, Socks resided with former Clinton secretary Betty Currie and her husband, owing to continuing conflicts with Clinton's dog Buddy.
Contents
Biography
Socks was adopted by the Clintons in 1991 after he jumped into the arms of Chelsea Clinton as she was leaving the house of her piano teacher in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was playing with his sibling, Midnight, who was later adopted by another family.
When Bill Clinton became President, Socks moved with the family from the governor's mansion to the White House and became the principal pet of the First Family in Clinton's first term, though he was known to share his food and water with a stray tabby, dubbed Slippers. He was often taken to schools and hospitals. During the Clinton administration, children visiting the White House website would be guided by a cartoon version of Socks.
He eventually lost the position of principal Clinton pet in 1997 when the Clintons acquired Buddy, a Labrador Retriever.
Socks found Buddy's intrusion intolerable: according to Hillary Clinton, Socks "despised Buddy from first sight, instantly and forever." Bill Clinton said, "I did better with ... the Palestinians and the Israelis than I've done with Socks and Buddy." When the Clintons left the White House in 2001 they took Buddy to their new home, but left Socks under the care of Bill Clinton's secretary, Betty Currie. Buddy would die within a year, being hit by a car in 2002.
In December 2002, Socks was part of the Little Rock Christmas parade.
In October 2004, Socks made a then-rare public appearance when Currie was guest speaker at an Officers' Spouses Club luncheon at Andrews Air Force Base. Socks accompanied her and took part in a photo op.
In June 2008, Socks was still living with Currie and her husband in Hollywood, Maryland, about 60 miles from Washington, but had a thyroid condition, hair loss, weight loss, and kidney problems.
In December 2008, Socks was reported to be in failing health, apparently suffering from cancer.
Socks was euthanized on February 20, 2009, in Hollywood, Maryland, after suffering cancer of the jaw. It was also estimated that Socks would have turned 20 in the spring of 2009, placing his birthdate in the spring of 1989 rather than 1990.
Investigation
Republican Representative Dan Burton, then the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, once publicly questioned the use of White House staff, postage, and stationery to answer mail addressed to the cat.