Before former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill passed away, he requested that there always be a cat inside his home at Chartwell. Winston didn't want just any cat, but an orange cat with four white paws and a white chest.
That promise has been fulfilled since the World War II leader's death, and this month, it has been fulfilled again.
Jock VI, a 7-month old rescue kitten with four white paws and a white chest, has moved into Churchill's estate in Kent. The cat, formally called Malley, was a stray that was taken in by the animal welfare group Croydon Animal Samaritans before being adopted by Chartwell staff, the BBC reported.
"It's a modern-day rags-to-riches story," Katherine Barnett, Chartwell's house and collection's manager, told the BBC.
Churchill was first given an orange cat for his 88th birthday in 1962. The cat was named Jock, after the private secretary Sir John "Jock" Colville who gave it to him. The cat always stood by the prime minister's side, attending cabinet meetings and was a requested presence at mealtimes, the BBC reported.
The cat formerly known as Malley is now the sixth Jock, the name Winston requested the cat always be called. The last Jock, the fifth, left with his owner, who was the former house and collections manager.
Jock VI has taken to his new home, which was left to the National Trust by Churchill's family in 1966. The feline eats tuna and takes naps in the afternoon, the BBC reported.
"He's a very caring, loving cat and I think our visitors will get lots of enjoyment from seeing him around the property for many years to come," Barnett told the BBC.
"Jock VI has had a difficult start to his life but, as anything goes, a cat will always land on its feet," Barnett said.
