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
6 August 2026	Tour du Jour	10.15 am	12.15 pm	Summer
13 September 2026	Tour du Jour	10.15 am	12.15 pm	Summer	Reserve Online
8 October 2026	Tour du Jour	10.15 am	12.15 pm	Summer	Reserve Online
15 November 2026	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.