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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 November 2026 | Special | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Winter | Reserve Online |
| 9 December 2026 | Tour du Jour | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Winter | Reserve Online |
| 3 January 2027 | Special | 10.15 am | 12.15 pm | Winter | 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.
Carol Kerrison –
We really enjoyed the Cat Tails walk lead by the lovely Ann. It was interesting and very unique. We saw parts of London we’d not seen before. Our walk ended with the highlight of Mrs. Higgins the cat coming out of the church where we ended our tour, and posing on the steps. Apparently she is normally quite elusive so this was an added bonus! If you love London and you love cats you don’t want to miss this unusual take on London Walks! Thank you Ann!!
Sarah –
A really interesting walk with a mixture of fact, fiction and humour. It was also interesting to see some beautiful pockets of London that I did not know. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with fellow cat lovers learning about well- known people and their cats. Ann the guide was friendly and knowledgeable and I would thoroughly recommend the walk.
Naedts Viviane –
I enjoyed every minute of that walk
It was informative but also witty.
Congratulations, Ann!
Amy –
Ann did an amazing job explaining the history of London and the cats within the city. She had the perfect combination of serious and silly stories of London cats. She was a delightful guide! We would highly recommend this walk.
Mary –
beautiful, informative walk. highly recommend
Jennifer Kessler –
Always homesick for my cats when traveling and then I found this wonderful tour! Ann was a great leader giving us lots of stories supported with photos. Her passion showed throughout the tour. Highly recommend for any cat lovers and others.
Clare –
A fascinating walk and talk, a clever way to introduce new knowledge of London landmarks and a variety of interesting people who happened to be cat owners. Ann is a highly articulate and engaging guide, definitely recommend!
Kathleen Fleming –
Lots of new to me cat history! Loved the stories and the photos and we even got the grand finale of a in real life moggy in the church yard. Ordered the book Cats for Pleasure and Profit on eBay as soon as I got home.
Julia James –
My husband and I were delighted that Ann presented us with a thoroughly professional, entertaining and informative walk, with a good deal of humour, and plenty of opportunities for asking questions. As someone who has lived in London all my life, I found it fascinating to hear all the cat connections, and walk in areas of central London that I had never visited before. Many thanks, Ann, for a super talk.
Heike –
We had a most wonderful walk with you yesterday, so many
Interesting stories about cats and their owners.
Thank you Ann.
Best regards
Heike