The Cat Men of Gotham: Tales of Feline Friendships in Old New York
by Peggy Gavan
Rutgers University Press, 2019
eISBN: 978-1-9788-0024-3 | Cloth: 978-1-9788-0022-9
Library of Congress Classification HV4766.N49G38 2019
Dewey Decimal Classification 636.808320922747
eISBN: 978-1-9788-0024-3 | Cloth: 978-1-9788-0022-9
Library of Congress Classification HV4766.N49G38 2019
Dewey Decimal Classification 636.808320922747
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Winner of the 2019 Certificate of Excellence and MUSE Medallion from the Cat Writers Association
The nineteenth century was a rough time to be a stray cat in New York City. The city’s human residents dealt with feline overpopulation by gassing unwanted cats or tossing them in rivers. But a few lucky strays were found by a diverse array of men—including firemen, cops, athletes, and politicians—who rescued them from the streets and welcomed them into their homes and hearts.
This book tells the stories of these heroic cat men of Gotham and their beloved feline companions. Not only does it introduce us to some remarkable men, but we get to meet many extraordinary cats as well, from Chinese stowaways prowling the Chelsea Piers to the sole feline survivor of the USS Maine explosion. Among the forty-two profiles, we find many feline Cinderella stories, as humble alley cats achieved renown as sports team mascots, artists’ muses, and even presidential pets.
Sure to appeal to cat fanciers and history fans alike, The Cat Men of Gotham will give you a new appreciation for Old New York and the people and animals who made it their home. As it takes you on a journey through the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn, it will amuse and astound you with tales of powerful men and their pussycats.
The nineteenth century was a rough time to be a stray cat in New York City. The city’s human residents dealt with feline overpopulation by gassing unwanted cats or tossing them in rivers. But a few lucky strays were found by a diverse array of men—including firemen, cops, athletes, and politicians—who rescued them from the streets and welcomed them into their homes and hearts.
This book tells the stories of these heroic cat men of Gotham and their beloved feline companions. Not only does it introduce us to some remarkable men, but we get to meet many extraordinary cats as well, from Chinese stowaways prowling the Chelsea Piers to the sole feline survivor of the USS Maine explosion. Among the forty-two profiles, we find many feline Cinderella stories, as humble alley cats achieved renown as sports team mascots, artists’ muses, and even presidential pets.
Sure to appeal to cat fanciers and history fans alike, The Cat Men of Gotham will give you a new appreciation for Old New York and the people and animals who made it their home. As it takes you on a journey through the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn, it will amuse and astound you with tales of powerful men and their pussycats.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY
PEGGY GAVAN is a journalist and senior editor who lives in Warwick, New York. She is the author of several children’s books and the blog The Hatching Cat: True and Unusual Animal Tales of Old New York, which has been profiled in Newsweek and the New York Times.
REVIEWS
— Brian Hartig, founder of Brownstone Detectives, a historic property research firm
— The Guardian
— The Guardian
— Brian Hartig, founder of Brownstone Detectives, a historic property research firm
“Peggy Gavan has a true storyteller’s enthusiasm—that rare, admirably frenetic need to share as much as she can about her subject matter. [She] focuses mainly on stories from the mid-1800s to World War II, and her writing provides more than just quirky time capsules of yesteryear’s animal life. She emphasizes historical context, allowing readers to see how seemingly minor animal incidents had big influences on modern culture.”
— Victoria Bekiempis, Newsweek magazine“[Peggy Gavan has] obviously has done a lot of work and is very devoted to her topic ... Every now and then, you'll turn up a history that mentions a quirky animal story here or there, but to my knowledge this is the first time anybody has really made a compendium of such stories.”
— Michael Miscione, Manhattan Borough Historian"A colorful look at the many notable cats in New York City's history and the humans who influenced their nine lives for good or, sadly, sometimes ill. Here's to the 'hero cat men of Gotham!'"
— Undine, author of the blog Strange Company"I was willingly lured down countless dark alleys on the trail of New York’s most famous, courageous, and well-traveled felines of history. A delightful read that left me wishing for more milk in my pan!"
— Warwick Advertiser
"So where are the “cat women” in this story? Gavan said that strict gender roles kept women out of the workplaces and social spaces that tended to draw more attention from the male-dominated press, meaning women didn’t show up in as many of the news articles that have informed her book."
"Each cat’s tale is the catalyst for riveting backstories of the police stations, theaters, speakeasies, and hotels that have always made Manhattan a mecca for the rich and powerful, the quiet and quirky. A fun and factual adventure that appeals to cat lovers and history buffs alike."
— Booklist"Atmospheric...Lively prose conveys [Gavan's] passion for the city and its rich history. Cat Men of Gotham will be most enjoyed by those who are familiar with New York City history but also by anyone who has ever been amused by or in love with cats."
— Foreword Reviews"Cat-lovers and New York City history buffs alike will thoroughly enjoy The Cat Men Of Gotham, Tales of Feline Friendships in Old New York and the short stories within."
— Untapped Cities
— The Daily Star
— Warwick Advertiser
— Purrington Post
"Kitty-cats and New York City? This can't miss. Peggy Gavan's history has lots of heart, but it's not fluff. Her book, with profiles of 42 cats and the righteous firefigthers, cops, politicians and other men who saved them from the mean streets of 19th-century New York, sheds light on the hardships encountered by both humans and felines of the era."
— USA Today
— Dog Talk (and Kitties Too!)
"Inspiring."
— Dayton Daily News"This book gives readers a new appreciation for Old New York, along with the people and cats who made it their home."
— Catster
— Sparta Independent
— Gotham Center Blog
— Purrington Post
"This book gives readers a new appreciation for Old New York, along with the people and cats who made it their home."
— Catster“[Peggy Gavan has] obviously has done a lot of work and is very devoted to her topic ... Every now and then, you'll turn up a history that mentions a quirky animal story here or there, but to my knowledge this is the first time anybody has really made a compendium of such stories.”
— Michael Miscione, Manhattan Borough Historian"Kitty-cats and New York City? This can't miss. Peggy Gavan's history has lots of heart, but it's not fluff. Her book, with profiles of 42 cats and the righteous firefigthers, cops, politicians and other men who saved them from the mean streets of 19th-century New York, sheds light on the hardships encountered by both humans and felines of the era."
— USA Today
— Dog Talk (and Kitties Too!)
"Each cat’s tale is the catalyst for riveting backstories of the police stations, theaters, speakeasies, and hotels that have always made Manhattan a mecca for the rich and powerful, the quiet and quirky. A fun and factual adventure that appeals to cat lovers and history buffs alike."
— Booklist"Inspiring."
— Dayton Daily News"Atmospheric...Lively prose conveys [Gavan's] passion for the city and its rich history. Cat Men of Gotham will be most enjoyed by those who are familiar with New York City history but also by anyone who has ever been amused by or in love with cats."
— Foreword Reviews
— Warwick Advertiser
— Gotham Center Blog
— Warwick Advertiser
"So where are the “cat women” in this story? Gavan said that strict gender roles kept women out of the workplaces and social spaces that tended to draw more attention from the male-dominated press, meaning women didn’t show up in as many of the news articles that have informed her book."
— The Daily Star
"A colorful look at the many notable cats in New York City's history and the humans who influenced their nine lives for good or, sadly, sometimes ill. Here's to the 'hero cat men of Gotham!'"
— Undine, author of the blog Strange Company"Cat-lovers and New York City history buffs alike will thoroughly enjoy The Cat Men Of Gotham, Tales of Feline Friendships in Old New York and the short stories within."
— Untapped Cities"I was willingly lured down countless dark alleys on the trail of New York’s most famous, courageous, and well-traveled felines of history. A delightful read that left me wishing for more milk in my pan!"
“Peggy Gavan has a true storyteller’s enthusiasm—that rare, admirably frenetic need to share as much as she can about her subject matter. [She] focuses mainly on stories from the mid-1800s to World War II, and her writing provides more than just quirky time capsules of yesteryear’s animal life. She emphasizes historical context, allowing readers to see how seemingly minor animal incidents had big influences on modern culture.”
— Victoria Bekiempis, Newsweek magazine
— Sparta Independent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction
1 Seafaring Cats
1893: The Brave and Brawny Cats of the Brooklyn Navy Yard
1898: Tom, the Old Navy Cat That Survived the USS Maine Explosion
1917-1922: Woo-Ki, Tai-Wan, and the Refugee Pirate Cats of Chelsea Piers
1929: Olaf, the Viking Cat Rescued at Sea en Route to Brooklyn
1933: Tommy Mulligan, the Norton’s Point Lighthouse Cat of Coney Island
2 Police Cats
1893: The Tombs’ Feline Warden That Befriended Prisoners on Murderers’ Row
1904–1911: Pete and Bill, the Bronx Mousers on the Job in Morrisania
1909: Claude, the Police Cat of East Harlem Who Did Justice to a Red Fox
1911: Buster and Topsy, the Rival Feline Mascots of the Lower East Side
1915: Sir Tom, the Rural Police Cat of Washington Heights
1934: Arson and Homicide, the Flat-Footed Felines of Police Headquarters
3 Fire Cats
1886: The 10 Lives of Hero, the Fire Cat of Engine Company No. 1 in Chelsea
1894: Ginger, the Shipbuilders’ Fire Cat of the Lower East Side
1895: Tootsy, the Feline Firefighter of Engine Company No. 27
1896: Peter and Chops, the Ebony and Ivory Fire Cats of the Flatiron District
1913: Peter, the Pole-Sliding Fire Cat of Bushwick, Brooklyn
1924: Smoke, the Famous Lafayette Street Firehouse Cat Who Went on Strike
4 Classical Cats
1884: Mutilator and the Legendary Newspaper Office Cats of the New York Sun
1891: Princess, Josephine, and the 101 Feline Models of Cat Artist J.H. Dolph
1895: Taffy, the Laird, and the Clowder of Town Topics Office Cats
1905: Bambino, the City Cat That Stole Away from Mark Twain
5 Hospitality Cats
1920: Minnie, the Female Mouser of a Manhattan Men-Only Speakeasy
1928: Abe, the Times Square Tiger Cat Who Refused to Scat from the Hotel Lincoln
1936: Rusty, the Famous Feline Host of the Algonquin Hotel
6 Theatrical and Show Cats
1877-1881: The Felines of the Cat Congress on Bowery and Broadway
1888: Union Square Jim, the Mascot Cat of the Union Square Theatre
1895: Nicodemus, the Prize-Winning Alley Cat of Prankster Brian G. Hughes
1932: Tommy Casanova, the Lady-Killer Cat Mascot of The Lambs
7 Civil Servant Cats
1891: Old Tom, the Brazen Pampered Pet of New York City Hall
1904: The Feline Police Squad of New York’s General Post Office
1904: Jerry Fox, the Spectacled Cat of Brooklyn Who Saved Borough Hall
1930: Tammany, the Democratic Boss Cat of New York City Hall
1939: Snooky, the Sophisticated, Salmon-Loving Cat of New York City Hall
8 Good-Luck Cats
1905: Bright Eyes, the Good-Luck Kitten of the Battery-Joralemon Tunnel
1910: Trent, the Airship Mascot Cat Who Wowed the Crowd at Gimbels
1927: Ranger I and Ranger III, the Mascot Cats of the New York Rangers
1927: Victory, the Feline Good-Luck Charm of the Brooklyn Robins
9 Lucky Cats
1899: Olympia, the Dewey Arch Cat, and Her Lucky Christmas Kittens
1904 and 1908: Holey and Gittel, the Cats with 10 Lives on the Lower East Side
1906: The East Harlem Cats Bequeathed to President Theodore Roosevelt
1912: Kaiser, the Feline Survivor of the Great Equitable Life Building Fire
1925: Blackie, the Mother Mouser Who Stopped Traffic on Lafayette Street
Sources and Suggestions for Further Reading
Index
Introduction
1 Seafaring Cats
1893: The Brave and Brawny Cats of the Brooklyn Navy Yard
1898: Tom, the Old Navy Cat That Survived the USS Maine Explosion
1917-1922: Woo-Ki, Tai-Wan, and the Refugee Pirate Cats of Chelsea Piers
1929: Olaf, the Viking Cat Rescued at Sea en Route to Brooklyn
1933: Tommy Mulligan, the Norton’s Point Lighthouse Cat of Coney Island
2 Police Cats
1893: The Tombs’ Feline Warden That Befriended Prisoners on Murderers’ Row
1904–1911: Pete and Bill, the Bronx Mousers on the Job in Morrisania
1909: Claude, the Police Cat of East Harlem Who Did Justice to a Red Fox
1911: Buster and Topsy, the Rival Feline Mascots of the Lower East Side
1915: Sir Tom, the Rural Police Cat of Washington Heights
1934: Arson and Homicide, the Flat-Footed Felines of Police Headquarters
3 Fire Cats
1886: The 10 Lives of Hero, the Fire Cat of Engine Company No. 1 in Chelsea
1894: Ginger, the Shipbuilders’ Fire Cat of the Lower East Side
1895: Tootsy, the Feline Firefighter of Engine Company No. 27
1896: Peter and Chops, the Ebony and Ivory Fire Cats of the Flatiron District
1913: Peter, the Pole-Sliding Fire Cat of Bushwick, Brooklyn
1924: Smoke, the Famous Lafayette Street Firehouse Cat Who Went on Strike
4 Classical Cats
1884: Mutilator and the Legendary Newspaper Office Cats of the New York Sun
1891: Princess, Josephine, and the 101 Feline Models of Cat Artist J.H. Dolph
1895: Taffy, the Laird, and the Clowder of Town Topics Office Cats
1905: Bambino, the City Cat That Stole Away from Mark Twain
5 Hospitality Cats
1920: Minnie, the Female Mouser of a Manhattan Men-Only Speakeasy
1928: Abe, the Times Square Tiger Cat Who Refused to Scat from the Hotel Lincoln
1936: Rusty, the Famous Feline Host of the Algonquin Hotel
6 Theatrical and Show Cats
1877-1881: The Felines of the Cat Congress on Bowery and Broadway
1888: Union Square Jim, the Mascot Cat of the Union Square Theatre
1895: Nicodemus, the Prize-Winning Alley Cat of Prankster Brian G. Hughes
1932: Tommy Casanova, the Lady-Killer Cat Mascot of The Lambs
7 Civil Servant Cats
1891: Old Tom, the Brazen Pampered Pet of New York City Hall
1904: The Feline Police Squad of New York’s General Post Office
1904: Jerry Fox, the Spectacled Cat of Brooklyn Who Saved Borough Hall
1930: Tammany, the Democratic Boss Cat of New York City Hall
1939: Snooky, the Sophisticated, Salmon-Loving Cat of New York City Hall
8 Good-Luck Cats
1905: Bright Eyes, the Good-Luck Kitten of the Battery-Joralemon Tunnel
1910: Trent, the Airship Mascot Cat Who Wowed the Crowd at Gimbels
1927: Ranger I and Ranger III, the Mascot Cats of the New York Rangers
1927: Victory, the Feline Good-Luck Charm of the Brooklyn Robins
9 Lucky Cats
1899: Olympia, the Dewey Arch Cat, and Her Lucky Christmas Kittens
1904 and 1908: Holey and Gittel, the Cats with 10 Lives on the Lower East Side
1906: The East Harlem Cats Bequeathed to President Theodore Roosevelt
1912: Kaiser, the Feline Survivor of the Great Equitable Life Building Fire
1925: Blackie, the Mother Mouser Who Stopped Traffic on Lafayette Street
Sources and Suggestions for Further Reading
Index
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