Cat Tails – A Feline Take on London History
Westminster Underground station, London (exit 4, opposite Big Ben)
Guided by Ann
Adult: £20 · Students & Seniors: £15 · Children: £5
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2025 | Special | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
| 5 June 2025 | Special | 10.45 am | 12.45 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
| 6 July 2025 | Special | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
| 6 August 2025 | Special | 10.45 am | 12.45 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
“The phrase ‘domestic cat’ is an oxymoron” George Will
“Dogs have owners, cats have staff”
Cats cats cats… have never had it so good since they ruled as gods in Ancient Egypt. Cat fans rave about their beauty, elegance, gymnastics and ability to scope out the warmest spot in house and garden. Non fans point out a cat’s independence, self-interest, and refusal to consider doing anything at all that it doesn’t feel like doing. All these qualities are of course part of its charm to fans.
Thanks to the internet you can waste hours in the day watching clips of cats arguing with the printer, leaping into the lampshade, riding on the vacuum cleaner, falling off things, terrorising dogs, etc. etc.
Cat Tails is the only cat walk in London, probably in the country, and possibly in the world. Come along to hear stories of London cats going back even before Henry V111- who did not have a cat as far as we know. Which famous Tudor courtier was always accompanied by at least one cat? Which London celebrity is said to have owned 60 cats? Which was the cat whose paws tingled as she helped research into electricity? And which cat dropped pigeons down the chimney for its owner’s dinner? (I can’t vouch for the 100% truth of that one.)
Here’s Ann’s delightful podcast introduction to the Cat Tails walk.
“Cats keeping dogs in their place” – Ann’s Flipside Purrfect Podcast about Cats
And This Makes Three, Giving Us a Clowder of Cat Podcasts
Ok, that’s got you in the mood, let’s paws for a word from Freud and then reprise the walk
“Time spent with cats is never wasted,” Sigmund Freud
Which national heroine had 60 cats? Who had his late cat’s paw mounted on a letter opener? Which cat ate Princess Margaret’s bouquet?
Enjoy these and other feline delicacies on a walk which combines places, people and the cats who lived there.
Including, of course, Larry of Downing St. and his predecessors.
Molly Johnson –
This tour was so much fun! Ann was entertaining and informative and brought many deceased cats come back to life with charming stories. The walk was through gardens and many historic buildings were pointed out
Joanna –
This was a fantastic walk for any cat lover with an interest in history. Ann has really done her research and the walk really helped to bring her brilliant stories to life. Who knew there was so much cat history in one small area of London!? It’s also a great opportunity to connect with like-minded cat fans, as everyone was chatting between stops about their love of felines.
Theodore Langer –
Very nice walk around central London with a tale of cats at every stop. This walk is interesting, entertaining and humourous with funny remarks. At the same time, it contains pictures and stories of cats which is a cat lovers dream. My mother and I enjoyed it very much.
Lynn Ryder –
Very enjoyable walk at a fairly easy pace.Ann is very knowledgeable and gave extra information as well as cat details.Very interesting about the Savoy cat. One for cat lovers and history lovers both.
Sue –
We had a noisy start to our tour with singing protesters, but we thoroughly enjoyed the tour. Ann had some amazing stories about cats and their owners – who knew about the Savoy cat! I particularly loved the names of some of the historical cats – what a hoot!
Cat lover or not, I highly recommend this tour. Ann is a great guide!
Jim –
We joined the walk on a breezy and cold November day. The ambient noise level, police sirens, helicopters, shouting protestors, all posed a problem. We learned about cats in historical settings which sometimes related to where we were standing, and other times were a bit of a stretch. Ann is light-hearted and theatrical but was sometimes hard to hear. I had mistakenly assumed the walk would end where it began and had no idea where we were at the end. It would be helpful to have that information ahead of time.
Katreya –
This is a fabulous walk. Full of interesting anecdotes about London cats. Most are historical – but some still have not used up their nine lives. So entertaining. You don’t even have to be a cat lover to find yourself chortling and marvelling at the tales of those cats and their ‘owners’. Also enjoyed looking at lots of great photos that Ann managed to source.
Jennifer Thornton –
Had an absolutely great walk with Ann today. I had no idea there were so many cat tales to be had. Even though it rained relentlessly it didn’t spoil the fun. Ann is brilliant and brings the stories to life with pictures and readings. Going into the Savoy hotel was the highlight for me. Thank you for a lovely 2 hours.
McKenna & Jo Ann –
Whether you’re a cat lover or not, this is a fun and informational walk. We enjoyed hearing the various cat stories as well as the history of the various buildings and places we visited. Ann is highly knowledgeable and brought along great photos, quotes, and poems to share with us. At the end of our tour, we successfully found Eliza Doolittle (one of the cats who lives at St Paul’s in Covent Garden)!
Maxwell Kates –
Very entertaining and informative tour on the history of London and its historical and cultural figures, all from the perspective of our four legged furry friends, the cats. Learn about cat stories associated with Churchill, Wolseley, and Nightingale, not to mention Royals and Prime Ministers. A trip to the Savoy Hotel is a highlight, where we learned the legend of the hotel’s cat superstition. Ann has done her research and is passionate about the material. My only suggestions would be to wear a microphone when attractive a large group, and more explicit London Walks signage at the beginning of the tour, otherwise the experience was formidable. I did subsequently search for the cats in St. Paul’s, but much like T. S. Eliot’s Macavity, they weren’t there.