Paddles (2016 – 7 November 2017) was a ginger and white polydactyl cat,[1] owned by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford. Paddles had a profile on Twitter and in politics as "First Cat".
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| Species | Cat |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Born | 2016 |
| Died | (aged about 1) Point Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Years active | 2016–2017 |
| Known for | Rescue cat kept by the Prime Minister of New Zealand |
| Owner | Jacinda Ardern |
| Appearance | Ginger and white, polydactyl |
| Twitter page | |
Early life
editPaddles was a rescue cat, adopted by Ardern from a branch of the SPCA.
Career
editShe became a celebrity as the "First Cat" after Ardern took office, and a Twitter account was established in her name. Ardern said that she did not know who created the account.[2][3]
When U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Ardern to congratulate her for becoming Prime Minister in October 2017, Paddles interrupted the conversation.[4]
Death
editPaddles was run over by a car and killed in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier on 7 November 2017.[5][6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Fernandez, Alexia (27 October 2017). "New Zealand's adorable 'First Cat' Is taking over Twitter with its opposable thumbs". PEOPLE.com. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Chen, Heather (26 October 2017). "New Zealand's 'first cat' and other political pets". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Weaver, Hilary (24 October 2017). "New Zealand's hip, young Prime Minister comes complete with a tech-savvy cat". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 25 October 2017.
- ^ Culbertson, Alix (8 November 2017). "Paddles the New Zealand PM's famous cat dies in car crash". Sky News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Prendergast, Ella. "Tributes flow into SPCA after the death of Jacinda Ardern's cat Paddles". Newshub. Archived from the original on 8 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Jacinda Ardern's cat Paddles has died after being hit by a car". New Zealand Herald. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
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