Erin Scott/The White House via AP
Willow, the Biden family's new pet cat, wanders around the White House on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2022 in Washington. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have added Willow, a 2-year-old, green-eyed, gray and white feline from Pennsylvania, to their pet family. The Washington Monument can be seen in the distance.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden have finally added the long-promised cat to their pet family.
Her name is Willow, and she’s a 2-year-old, green-eyed, gray and white farm cat from Pennsylvania.
“Willow is settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore,” said Michael LaRosa, the first lady’s spokesperson.
Jill Biden had said after Joe Biden was elected in November 2020 that they would bring a kitty to the White House, but her arrival had been delayed. Last month, the White House said the cat would come in January.
The first lady named Willow after her hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
Keep scrolling for a gallery of presidential pets through the years
The short-haired tabby made quite an impression on Jill Biden after jumping up on stage and interrupting her remarks during a 2020 campaign stop in Pennsylvania, LaRosa said.
“Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden,” he said.
The White House hasn’t had a feline resident since India, President George W. Bush’s cat.
Willow joins Commander, a German shepherd puppy Joe Biden introduced in December as a birthday gift from the president’s brother James Biden and his wife, Sara.
The Bidens had two other German shepherds, Champ and Major, at the White House before Commander.
But Major, a 3-year-old rescue dog, started behaving aggressively after he arrived in January 2021, including a pair of biting incidents. The White House had said Major was still adjusting to his new home, and he was sent back to the Bidens’ Delaware home for training.
The Bidens, after consulting with dog trainers, animal behaviorists and veterinarians, decided to follow the experts’ collective recommendation and send Major to live in a quieter environment with family friends, LaRosa said last month.
Champ died in June at age 13.
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden takes his dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden prepares to throw a ball as he walks with his dog Commander in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden speaks with members of the White House press corps as he and first lady Jill Biden take their dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
First lady Jill Biden tosses a ball to President Joe Biden as they take their dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden speaks with members of the White House press corps as he and first lady Jill Biden take their dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden take their dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Patrick Semansky
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden take their dog Commander for a walk in Rehoboth Beach, Del., Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
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Paul Morse, White House
President George W. Bush’s English Springer Spaniel, Spot, plays on the south lawn of the White House in 2001. Spot is the offspring of former first dog, Millie. Millie lived in the White House with her owner President George H.W. Bush from 1989 to 1993.
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Marcy Nighswander, Associated Press
President Bill Clinton’s pet cat Socks peers over the podium in the White House briefing room.
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Win McNamee, Getty Images
Then-Vice President Joe Biden’s dog, Champ, lies down during a Joining Forces service event at the vice president’s residence in Washington. Champ and Biden’s other dog, Major, are now residents of the White House.
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Charles Dharapak, Associated Press
Sunny, foreground, and Bo, Portuguese water dogs belonging to President Barack Obama, walk along the West Wing of the White House.
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Associated Press
Vice President Richard Nixon holds his dog Checkers at his home in Washington.
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David Valdez, White House
First lady Barbara Bush and her granddaughter, Marshall Lloyd Bush, look at the Bushes’ dog Millie and her litter of puppies at the White House in Washington.
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Associated Press
President John F. Kennedy’s daughter Caroline Kennedy rides her pony, Macaroni, on the south grounds of the White House in Washington.
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Associated Press
Laddie Boy, President Warren G. Harding’s terrier, is shown on Aug. 1, 1922.
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Associated Press
President Jimmy Carter’s daughter Amy holds her cat, Misty, at the White House.
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Associated Press
President Ronald Reagan, along with his son Michael’s family and the president’s dog Lucky, gather around a snowman on the White House grounds, Jan. 19, 1985. From left are Michael’s son Cameron, the president, Michael, and his wife, Colleen, holding their daughter Ashley.
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Associated Press
President Theodore Roosevelt, with his dog Skip on his lap, sits in the doorway of his Colorado house.
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