A few months ago, I had the pleasure of being the guest of Carl Raymond on his popular podcast, The Gilded Gentleman. Carl started his podcast in 2021, and it is now at an impressive #21 on Apple’s top history podcasts. During the hour-long program, I share many of my favorite cat stories of Old […]
Posts Tagged ‘New York City History’
Hatching Cat Talks Grimalkins on the Gilded Gentleman
Posted: 22nd May 2026 by The Hatching Cat in Cat StoriesTags: Cat Stories, Cats of Old New York, New York City History
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1894: The Astor Kitten Who Caused a Stir at 320 Fifth Avenue
Posted: 7th May 2026 by The Hatching Cat in Cat StoriesTags: Albert Bierstadt, Charlotte Augusta Astor, Fifth Avenue, Hallet Alsop Borrowe, James Coleman Drayton, Mary Bell, New York City History
When a little black and white kitten fell from a ledge on Fifth Avenue, everyone who witnessed the event placed the blame on the ASPCA and the fire department. We’ll never know who was at fault, but what I want to know is this: Was this in fact a pet cat of Charlotte Augusta Astor? […]
1905: Malta, the Wandering Cat of NYC Financier Russell Sage
Posted: 20th February 2026 by The Hatching Cat in Cat StoriesTags: Cats of Old New York, Columbia University, Elgin Botanic Garden, Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage, New York City History, Russell Sage
New York City financier Russell Sage, aka Uncle Russell, had a reputation on Wall Street as being a spendthrift, a workaholic, and a ruthless money lender without emotion. So when he failed to show up at work after offering a $10 reward for the return of his missing cat, his financial cronies thought he’d gone mad.
1912: Don Dai, the Quakeress, and the Feline Wedding at the Plaza Hotel
Posted: 9th July 2025 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Stories, Crazy Cat LadiesTags: Cats of Old New York, Fred Sterry, George B. Brayton, New York City History, Plaza Hotel
In December 1912, a wealthy and well-known cat fancier from Brighton, Massachusetts decided that the Plaza Hotel in New York City was the perfect setting for a feline wedding for her two show cats.
1895: The Comical Court Case of Tommy, the Stolen Cat of East 41st Street
Posted: 25th April 2025 by The Hatching Cat in Cat Stories, Cats in the MewsTags: Anna Staubstaudt, Cats of Old New York, James Quackinbush, Murray Hill, New York City History, Robert Murray
Tommy was a cat of remarkable beauty, but he also had strong lungs and fighting qualities. Mrs. Hall acquired the cat in 1887, and though he often wandered the neighborhood looking to stir things up, he never strayed far from home. That is, until the summer of 1895.
