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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 July 2026 | Tour du Jour | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
| 6 August 2026 | Tour du Jour | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Summer | Reserve Online |
| 13 September 2026 | Tour du Jour | 10.15 am | 12.15 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.
Valerie –
Despite the steady rain, this was a great walk to start my London visit with. Starting from Westminster, where Ann described various politicians admiration for their cats, illustrated with great photos from her binder, we walked down to Embankment, pausing often so Ann could tell her delightful stories and anecdotes. She even recited McAvity’s poem at one point—so appropriate! A quick nip into the gorgeous Savoy to hear the legend of the 14th guest, ending at Covent Garden. This is seeing London as it is meant to be seen, delicious, quirky, with the added ambience of true London weather. It goes without saying cat lovers rule on this trip.
Natasha –
Ann gave a fascinating and enjoyable tour on a very wet London morning. Her knowledge and stories of London’s famous and political cats were a joy. Unfortunately due to the rain the only cat we “met” was Kaspar in The Savoy, but Ann’s wonderful tales and clever sheltering spots made the tour exceptional. I highly recommend to all feline fanatics.
Raymond Wiseman –
Until this walk began, I hadn’t occurred to me that it would be packed out with cat lovers like myself. Apart from me they all seemed pretty sane, but it did mean that the bonus feature of the walk was the lovely conversations between the attendees. Sanest and wisest of all, our tour guide Ann made the absence of actual cats an irrelevance. If you have any experience with cats, you would know that getting them to turn up for a tour is an impossibility. The words “predictable” and “cat” are an antithesis. Despite this, the lovely locations, Ann’s pictures and excellent narration made this one of the best walks I have attended. Whether you are a cat owner or just want a stroll around some spectacular London locations on a Sunday morning, I would recommend this tour thoroughly.
Sarah Buckley –
I had previously joined Ann’s City of London walk with a friend, and when she asked at the end if anyone was interested in cats, I said yes, because I am a mad cat lady! So I went on the Cat Tails walk in April with my husband and we found it very interesting and enjoyable. I wasn’t expecting the tour to include going inside the Savoy Hotel as well, which was a nice surprise. A must for all cat-lovers.
Joni –
This walk is a mega treat for cat lovers! Ann has a superb and extensive knowledge of the famous and not so famous cats and their ‘owners’ which she is more than happy to share. Ann’s enthusiasm was infectious and we had a fabulous walk around Westminster and learnt so much with many stories and history linked to famous buildings and people. Thank you Ann.
John Baines –
What a wonderful way to spend a morning! If you like cats this walk will provide you with great cat stories linked to people and places from Westminster to Covent Garden via the Embankment and the Savoy Hotel. All beautifully told by Ann.
Geoff Hilling –
A wonderful walk! Ann was very informative and knowledgeable and a very good guide. We learnt so much about the history of cats in London and even saw inside one of the top hotels! En excellent and enjoyable walk that I would highly recommend
Colin Startup –
Ann is extremely knowledgeable about everything to do with cats. She has an infectious enthusiasm even when the weather is inclement. We learnt about cats named Attlee, Claude, Clem, Doorkins Magnificat (the best cat name ever!), Eliza, Gladstone, Hodge, Inigo, Jock, Jones, Larry, Mrs Higgins, several Peters, Prince, Wilberforce, and many others. This walk is purrfect for cat lovers!
Julie –
A great way to see & learn about parts of London I hadn’t visited before. All with fellow cat lovers.
Anne had wonderful cat stories to tell us.
Just a shame it was a wet morning so the cats were all indoors
Elaine M –
On 10th December 2025 a small group of us went on this Cat tour. Ann was very friendly, engaging & knowledgeable about the history of cats & their owners. We had facts, poems, drawings and photos. We even went inside the Savoy hotel to see the model of “Kaspar” the cat.
This tour is a must for all cat lovers !