6 of the Most Unforgettable Pets in History
Animal fame has reached new heights in the internet era, but some especially notable pets still managed to achieve celebrity status before the likes of Grumpy Cat, Lil Bub, and Boo — one of the animals on this list even dates back to the first century CE.
Many high-profile companions reach stardom by virtue of their celebrity owners, such as Mr. Famous, Audrey Hepburn’s aptly named Yorkshire, who appeared alongside her in 1957’s Funny Face. But pets can also become famous on their own merits (or demerits), as in the case of the dog who pushed kids into a river so he could stage a rescue for treats, or the cat who survived a whopping three shipwrecks. Here are the stories of six animals who left their indelible pawprints — or hoofprints — on the world.
Babou the Ocelot
In the mid-20th century, the attempted domestication of ocelots — a breed of wild cat that isn’t recommended as a pet — wasn’t unheard of. One of the most famous pet ocelots of the era was Babou, the animal companion of surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. The feline followed him everywhere, even famously accompanying Dalí to one of his art exhibitions in a bejeweled collar.
Understandably, Babou was not always a welcome guest. When Dalí once brought him to an art gallery in Paris, the owner angrily told Dalí that Babou had “made a nuisance” on his 17th-century engravings. The artist reportedly responded, “A nuisance of Dalí’s … can only increase their value.”
On another occasion, Dalí tied Babou’s leash to a table at a Manhattan restaurant. When another diner expressed her alarm, Dalí assured her the animal was just a normal cat he’d “painted over in an op art design.” By 1970, Dalí had acquired a second ocelot named Bouba, although she didn’t achieve quite the same level of notoriety.
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Mafia Honey the Dog
This fluffy little Maltese dog was famous for his association with two major celebrities, having been gifted to Marilyn Monroe in 1960 by Frank Sinatra to console her after her split from playwright Arthur Miller.
Cheekily named for Sinatra’s alleged ties to the mob and called “Maf” for short, the dog was Monroe’s close companion for roughly the last two years of her life. He was even permitted to sleep on a fur coat Miller had given her. Following Monroe’s death in 1962, Frank Sinatra’s secretary Gloria Lovell cared for Maf until his death in 1974. But his fame didn’t end there: Two Polaroids featuring Maf sold for more than $220,000 in 1999.
Incitatus the Horse
The most famous pet of the ancient world was likely Incitatus, a horse owned by Caligula, the third emperor of Rome. According to one myth, Caligula loved his horse so much, he even appointed the animal to consul.
Although this likely never happened, it certainly contributed to the horse’s legendary status. Even if Incitatus (whose name means “swift” or “at full gallop”) never held a human position, he still enjoyed a pretty lavish life. According to historians, he resided in a marble stable with an ivory manger and wore a collar made of precious stones.
Scatter the Chimpanzee
Elvis Presley had a chaotic menagerie of animals at Graceland, including several horses, donkeys he kept in an empty swimming pool, and a myna bird that would mimic the excuses it heard for why Presley couldn’t come to the phone.
His most storied pet, however, was Scatter, a chimpanzee who wore human clothes and caused oodles of mischief. Scatter had a penchant for alcohol and peeking under women’s skirts, destroyed the office of legendary movie producer Samuel Goldwyn, and frequently ran off to break into neighbors’ houses. Even so, years after the chimp’s death, Elvis said that he was “one of the best buddies [he] had around.”
King Charles the Horse
The 1944 film National Velvet, which told the story of a young girl who believes in and trains a difficult horse, propelled then-12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor to stardom. Her equine co-star, the racehorse King Charles, was already famous in his own right before hitting the big screen: He was related to two of the most famous racehorses of all time, Man o’ War and Seabiscuit. Taylor, having bonded with the horse over the course of the production, repeatedly asked to keep him as her pet. The film’s producer, Louis B. Mayer, eventually granted the young actress’s request for her 13th birthday.
Unsinkable Sam the Cat
Unlike the other animals on this list, this one’s fame has little to do with his owner. According to legend, a cat named Oscar, later known as “Unsinkable Sam,” was one of just a few to survive the 1941 sinking of a German battleship called the Bismarck. Oscar was then picked up by the HMS Cossack, a British destroyer, and again survived when his new home was torpedoed exactly five months later. Following this second disaster, the lucky (or unlucky) cat spent less than one month on the British aircraft carrier Ark Royal before it suffered the same fate as the Cossack — yet Oscar miraculously managed to survive once again. Afterward, he retired to a home on land in Belfast, where he lived until his 1955 death. A portrait of “Unsinkable Sam” resides in London’s National Maritime Museum.
