Where to Visit the Internet-Famous Cats of Los Angeles (And Beyond)
The most famous cat in Los Angeles is probably P-22, the bachelor mountain lion who heroically crossed two freeways to make Griffith Park his home. But most of us will never have the fortune (or misfortune) to ever encounter him face to face.
L.A. is actually full of smaller, less threatening cats — although in some cases, no less wild. And many of them are hiding in plain sight.
You might've heard a rustle in the bushes or even seen a shadow dash across your path — maybe as you're strolling the lawns at Hollywood Forever, whose feral cat colony is well-documented on the internet but not always witnessed fully in person.
Fortunately, photogenic and often friendly cat celebrities make some of L.A.'s most compelling cultural institutions must-visit destinations for Angeleno cat fanciers.
So whether it's "Caturday" or any other day that ends in the letter "y," here are five feline-friendly institutions in Los Angeles (and a bonus one for a day trip out of town) where you can have a "meowsome" time.
1. Powell Cat, University of California, Los Angeles, Westwood
Think UCLA's only mascot is the Bruin Bear? Those who are in-the-know recognize the university's other mascot: Powell Cat. They may be named after the Powell Library on the UCLA campus (yes, the preferred pronouns are "they/them"), but this famous feline has split their time between the library and Kaufman Hall since first being spotted in 2015. Then, in April 2018, Class of '21 then-freshman Alaina Dexter launched an Instagram account for the furry friend — chronicling all the tuxedo cat's boops, snoots, sniffs, yawns and toe beans that could be captured on camera. As Dexter said in a UCLA Instagram post, "It's just really special to have that type of interaction when it can be so lonely."
The IG account was eventually taken over by Powell Library's own Assistant to the University Librarian Kathy Brown, who calls Powell Cat "a comfort in hard times." Although taking care of the celebrated cat isn't part of her official library duties, she says she's more than willing to help pitch in. She's not on her own though — there's a team of students known as the "Powell Cat Feeder Friends" that clean and fill Powell Cat's food and water bowls and keep an eye on their general health. Powell Cat is also kept up-to-date on their vaccinations, and occasionally receives flea treatments.
So why did Powell Cat attract such a fanbase? (They currently have more than 10,000 followers on Instagram.) Brown explains, "One of the things makes Powell Cat so special is that they love and are loved by so many people in the UCLA community and beyond. We hear from incoming students how excited they are to meet Powell Cat, and students who have graduated come back to visit sometimes."
You can most reliably find Powell Cat around the outside of Powell Library (located at Dickson Court, at the top of Janss Steps), on Bruin Walk on the west side of the library and Kaufman Hall on the North Campus. Bring catnip or toys (catnip-infused and fishing-style) instead of treats — and if you take a seat near them, let Powell Cat come to you rather than picking them up. Like any other cat, Powell Cat will signal if they're getting overwhelmed and have had enough — by turning away from everyone (and perhaps even facing the wall). Brown says, "If people don't get the message, Powell Cat can retreat into the bushes and their hiding place for some peace and quiet."
2. Belle Boy, Heritage Square Museum, Montecito Heights
Heritage Square Museum in Montecito Heights is an outdoor museum of relocated historic structures from around the L.A. area, mostly from the 19th century. And along the walkways between or on the lawns in front of such landmarks as the Perry Mansion (moved from Boyle Heights), the Hale House (moved from Mount Washington) and the Valley Knudsen House (moved from Lincoln Heights), you'll find yet another Los Angeles treasure: a floofy orange cat named Belle Boy.
Whether he's basking in the sun, cooling off in the shade or chilling out inside the museum gift shop (located inside the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot that was moved from the Palms neighborhood), Belle Boy is so popular that the museum has designed and sells a line of merchandise with his image. Among the offerings are aprons, tote bags, face coverings, stickers and more available for purchase at the gift shop.
Belle Boy wasn't always a "museum cat" — but one day, he showed up to Heritage Square (with a scar on his face) and has made it his home for several years now. Museum staff take care of him, but visitors are also welcome to bring him treats (he's partial to Temptations). He might even join you on the picnic table and present his head for pets — but please don't feed him human food!
To admire this superfloof ginger from afar, look for #caturday posts on the Heritage Square Facebook page and on Instagram. Those looking to pitch in for Belle Boy's care have found a way to make their wishes known by visiting the Heritage Square donation page, selecting "Operational" and then typing "Belle Boy" into the "Special notes or designations" field on the PayPal page.
3. Zeus and Apollo, Iliad Bookshop, North Hollywood
Search for "shop cats" in Los Angeles on the internet, and you're likely to come across posts about the cats of Iliad Bookshop. This North Hollywood institution on Cahuenga Boulevard has been rescuing kitties and giving them furr-ever homes since at least 1988, when Charlie the neighborhood stray moved into Iliad's previous location on Vineland. At the time, owner and founder Dan Weinstein was actually living in a loft above the bookstore — and when he moved out, so did his cats.
Iliad's current location, where it's been since 2006, is 5,000 square feet of stacks piled high with (mostly used) books in nearly every genre imaginable — including Paranormal Romance, Polar Exploration, True Crime, Manga, Civil War paperbacks and other "Oddities." And cats are so integral to its culture, there's even a feline featured prominently in the store's logo.
Although many cats have come and gone over the last three decades, today its resident #bookstorecats are Apollo and Zeus, two brothers who arrived at Iliad in 2014 at just eight weeks old. Look for Zeus (a gray tabby) snoozing in the Science Fiction aisle and Apollo (the blonde one) hanging out by the checkout or running towards the restroom for a snack. Most afternoons, they can be found snuggled up on a cat bed at the front counter as soon as you walk in. (There are other beds and scratching posts found throughout the store as well.)
Follow Iliad's Instagram account for the latest on the cats, or visit them in person! Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (closed Sundays and Mondays). Understandably, no dogs are allowed in the store — but if you're bringing a service dog in, just check with the staff first.
4. Marty the Community Cat, 3-D SPACE, Echo Park
Speaking of ginger cats, Marty the Community Cat is a short-haired orange tabby who likes to take catnaps, stretch, snack and get pets behind the red brick Alvarado Arts Center building at 1200 North Alvarado Street (a.k.a. the old Echo Park Film Center building) — now home to Manly & Sons Barber Company, Tierra Mia Coffee, Lemon Frog Shop and 3-D SPACE Museum (in the basement unit). Building tenants say he's truly a "community cat" — because they all chip in to take care of him and make sure he's never too hungry or thirsty.
Marty's got whiskers for days and won't hesitate to mark you with a little rub of his chin. Once he gets to know you, he'll plop down and spend some time lounging on the cool concrete in the rear of the building, which is generally shady and protected from both vehicular and foot traffic. When he needs a hiding spot or somewhere dark and dry to sleep, he's got a sturdy shelter (donated by a local cat lover) in a quiet corner.
To get to know Marty, you can follow his Instagram account or visit 3-D SPACE, which has the best public access to where he hangs out. Also known as The Center for Stereoscopic Photography, Art, Cinema, and Education, 3-D SPACEis currently open by appointment only and is located down an alleyway, to the right of the barbershop and behind a locked gate. Current safety protocols require all guests to wear a mask and provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19. You can request a one-hour visit on the museum website.
5. The Library Cats of DTLA, Central Library/Maguire Gardens, Downtown Los Angeles
Reportedly, there has been a feral cat colony hanging around Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library since at least the 1980s. But the cats — most of which are black or tuxedo — didn't become "internet-famous" until a Facebook group launched in 2018. The goal? To garner awareness and much-needed donations for the dozens of unhoused felines that are still hiding in the bushes, trees, cracks and crevices of the library-adjacent Maguire Gardens today. (A branded website followed in 2020.)
Artist and illustrator Valarie Bermudez had already exhibited cat paintings in galleries and worked for Sanrio's Hello Kitty starting in 2011, years before she started taking care of the feral colony back in 2015. "When I was not making art, I was saving cats," she says.
Today, Bermudez is also the self-proclaimed "cat mamma" of the Library Cats of DTLA — having organized all the volunteer cat advocates and TNR (trap-neuter-return) efforts for the colony. She reports that thanks to those efforts, they're able to get the cats vetted and spay-neutered (so the grounds don't become overrun with kittens) with the help of Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats, ASPCA and L.A. Animal Services. Some of them are even microchipped. "I just knew that somehow my art skills could help rescue street-cats," Bermudez says.
The grounds that these cats call home, however, don't actually belong to the library — and a Central Library spokesperson confirmed that the felines are "outside the purview of the library." The land actually belongs to U.S. Bank Tower, so Bermudez and her team of volunteers are on their own when it comes to caring for the Library Cats of DTLA. Bermudez and her team have since set up a PayPal and an Amazon Wishlist for those looking to help out.
Bonus: The Cats of Disneyland, Anaheim
If you're a fan of such animated "Disney Cats" as the Cheshire Cat from "Alice in Wonderland," "The Aristocats" or Figaro from "Pinocchio," look no further than The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim for some real-life cat cast members! Its cat community was long-rumored to exist — and Disney reps finally let the cat out of the bag in 2010, confirming their existence to the Los Angeles Times.
Although no one knows exactly when the frisky felines first made Disneyland Park their home — perhaps as early as 1955 — they've begun to migrate over to Disney California Adventure Park (DCA) as well. In fact, you can find them all over the Disney resort property — from Downtown Disney and the Disneyland Hotel (including around the exterior of Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar) to the parking areas (keep your eyes open during the tram ride) and inside both parks.
On The Cats of Disneyland website, you can find profiles of individual cats — like Francisco, a long-haired tortie (whose gender is up for debate) who perfectly blends into the hillside in the Grizzly Peak section of DCA. Up there, Francisco is protected from the crowds by a fence — but if you call out their name, they just might come running to say hello. Be on the lookout as you're heading to ride Soarin' Around the World (formerly known as Soarin' Over California), or find him online with the hashtag #franciscofriday.
With the help of allied organizations specializing in TNR, the Disneyland cats are spayed or neutered — but if any "accidents" occur and kittens appear, they are adopted out to human cast members to keep them in the Disney family. They're also cared for at certain feeding stations (reportedly, one by the Grand Californian Hotel and another by the Hungry Bear Restaurant in Disneyland's Critter Country), so don't try to give them any human food or treats! The Disneyland cats are considered feral — so for their safety and yours, don't try to get too close or pick one up.
