This Popular Park May Be Ruled By A Mouse, But You May Be shocked By How Many Cats Call The Magic Kingdom Home
When people plan a trip to the Magic Kingdom they are usually excited to see the sights, ride the rides, eat yummy food and meet all the characters. What they may not factor in, is watching for the cats! Yes, you heard that right. Disneyland is actually home to about 200 feral cats!
Walt Disney first opened Disneyland in 1955. The story goes that Disney wanted to make the iconic Sleeping Beauty castle an attraction, but when they entered the castle they found something rather unexpected, cats and lots of them. Not willing to let them all be killed, they had another solution and the cats were all adopted out to cast members. In just a short while they had a new problem though, and that problem wasn't as cute and adoptable. Disneyland, the park ruled by a mouse, was overrun with real mice and rats.
There were still several cats in the park, so it was a perfect solution to this new predicament. Disney made sure all of the cats were caught and spayed/neutered. The symbiotic relationship that the park has developed with the cats has gone quite well over the years. The cats have feeding stations set up around the park, so they are in no way lacking food. Some cast members even carry treats with them to lure the kitties out for park visitors to see.
The Cats of Disneyland have become quite the celebrities with their own Instagram and Facebook pages. Many park goers who know about this secret now go and hope to catch a glimpse of one of these feline stars. Some of the cats that are more active in the day and therefore more regularly seen have even been given names; Francisco, Becky, Emmett, Giovanni, and Ned are such cats. They all have a favorite hang out location whether it is Thunder Mountain Railroad, Trader Sam's one of the many outside cafes. So, next time you are visiting The Happiest Place On Earth, be sure to keep your eyes out for the magical kitties that call it home!
People all over the internet are talking about these cats and there is even merchandise devoted to them! Check out the video below to learn more about the cats of Disney and the next time you are visiting The Happiest Place On Earth, be sure to keep your eyes out for the magical kitties that call it home!
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