President Calvin Coolidge and his wife Grace owned many animals during their time in the White House. Some were more famous than others, but many made their mark in some way.
Among the veritable zoo were several cats, including the famous Tige and his slightly lesser known brother, Blacky. While Tige sometimes went exploring – and eventually escaped for good – Blacky tended to stick closer to home.
Blacky apparently liked the elevator. He used to wait for the doors to open, slide in, and curl up for a nap on the cushioned bench. He also liked to eat. On one memorable occasion, during an breakfast meeting with congressional leaders, Coolidge poured cream into a saucer and placed it on the floor. Blacky surprised the attendees by coming running. It’s unclear whether Blacky had any official business to contribute to the meeting though.
Blacky wasn’t as family-oriented as his brother Tige, though. He spent much of his time (when not sleeping in the elevator) in the kitchen looking for handouts. He did remain with the Coolidges until after their term of office was over and presumably lived the rest of his days in comfort.