Meet Willow: Bidens (finally) welcome first cat to White House
After dealing with months of pressure and giving indirect answers, the Bidens have finally made good on a longstanding commitment to the American people.
There is now, finally, a first cat at the White House.
Willow is a two-year-old, green-eyed, grey and white-striped, short-haired tabby, hailing from Western Pennsylvania.
First lady Jill Biden announced the first feline news on Twitter Friday morning.
Photos show Willow Biden fitting right in at the White House, striking a classic cat regal pose on the red, presidential carpet. She appeared to already be tolerating nap-disrupting human staff in the busy quarters.
It's not the first time Willow, named after the first lady's hometown of Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, has met the Biden family.
Michael LaRosa, press secretary to the first lady, said Willow is the same cat that seized the spotlight on a 2020 campaign stop where she strutted out on stage during Biden's remarks.
"A farm cat from Pennsylvania, 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. Seeing their immediate bond, the owner of the farm knew that Willow belonged with Dr. Biden," he said.
DeRosa added that Willow is "settling into the White House with her favorite toys, treats, and plenty of room to smell and explore."
That includes a proper introduction to Commander, the Biden's 4-month-old pure-bred German Shepherd puppy that joined the White House in December.
The Biden's newest first pets come after 3-year-old Major, the first shelter dog to live in the White House, had to be be sent to a new home due to behavioral issues, and Champ, the Bidens' beloved 13-year-old German Shepherd, passed away in the summer.
The Bidens first made public their desire to bring a cat to the White House just after Biden won the election, in late November 2020 interview with CBS. And last April, the first lady suggested she had a female cat lined up in an interview with NBC when she said of the anticipated cat adoption, "She's waiting in the wings."
The last pet cat that resided at the White House was a black short-hair cat named India with former President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush.
Biden's predecessor, former President Donald Trump, was the first president in more than a century not to host a pet in the People's House.
ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky contributed to this report.
