Why Abraham Lincoln Set A Place For His Cat At The Table Of A White House Dinner
The 16th U.S. President found great comfort in his cats during his difficult presidency
Many people love cats. The particular nature of felines and their sweet features capture many a heart. This includes former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, who was such a lover of cats that he once had one fed at the table with guests during an important White House dinner.
The 16th President, Lincoln served from 1861–1865 before being assassinated by John Wilkes Booth. In addition to being a pragmatic thinker and strategic statesman, he was also a lover of animals.
Maunsell Field, who was the first Commissioner of the U.S Treasury, once wrote:
“[Lincoln] possessed extraordinary kindness of heart when his feelings could be reached. He was fond of dumb animals, especially cats. I have seen him fondle one for an hour. Helplessness and suffering touched him when they appealed directly to his senses, or when you could penetrate through his intelligence to them.”
When Lincoln assumed the presidency, he had to make the difficult choice to leave his beloved family dog Fido behind, arranging for him to be taken in by friends. He did so because Fido was a nervous dog and…
