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Species | Cat |
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Sex | Female |
Born | 2016 |
Died | (aged about 1) Point Chevalier, Auckland, New Zealand |
Years active | 2016–2017 |
Known for | Rescue cat kept by the Prime Minister of New Zealand |
Owner | Jacinda Ardern |
Appearance | Ginger and white, polydactyl |
Twitter page |
Paddles (2016 – 7 November 2017) was a ginger and white polydactyl cat, [1] owned by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford. Paddles had a profile on Twitter and in politics as "First Cat".
Paddles was a rescue cat, adopted by Ardern from a branch of the SPCA.
She became a celebrity as the "First Cat" after Ardern took office, and a Twitter account was established in her name. Ardern said that she did not know who created the account. [2] [3]
When U.S. President Donald Trump phoned Ardern to congratulate her for becoming Prime Minister in October 2017, Paddles interrupted the conversation. [4]
Paddles was run over by a car and killed in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier on 7 November 2017. [5] [6]