Stories about cats often become things of myth and anecdote. People just seem to love spinning stories and embellishing new layers to cat tales, whether for entertainment, to tell a moral or myth, or, nowadays, for social media likes. Here’s another one about Bulgaria that’s got us twitching our feline ears in curious disbelief.
When it comes to cat tales, they can often take incredible turns and are rarely boring. But sometimes, they spin into a big ball of yarn.
The Mayor of Plovdiv, Bulgaria is a Cat?
Plovdiv, Bulgaria, an ancient city known for its winding cobbled streets, Roman theater, opera, and traditional Bulgarian food, has a unique claim to fame. The residents once elected a cat as their mayor, a story that has been making the rounds online. It’s not the first time a cat has been elected mayor, but it’s certainly a tale that stands out.
Although the story is being shared on social media as if it’s new, the source goes back to at least 2018.
Here’s how the tale goes:
“In the small town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria, a curious error during the local election led to the oldest cat in the community, Sir Whiskers, being officially declared the new mayor,” the tale goes. “The mix-up began when a group of local teenagers jokingly added Sir Whiskers’ name to the online ballot as a write-in candidate. The prank caught on, and the town’s residents, amused and perhaps a bit enchanted by the idea, overwhelmingly voted for the feline candidate.”
Mandatory Paw-licies
The story continues that everyone was shocked when Sir Whiskers won by a landslide. Then, the town council determined there was no rule against a cat mayor. Thus, they went through with an “inauguration” and policies of “increased fish” in markets and “mandatory petting hours.”
Soon, tourists arrived to meet the feline mayor, and he became a celebrity worldwide.
Will the Real Mayor of Plovdiv Stand Up?
If you’re a tourist visiting the area, you might be disappointed to find out this particular tale seems to be an imaginative yarn. A quick search for the mayor in 2018 and currently results in nothing unusual, just your usual human occupant.
Humorously, it’s a bit disappointing! We want Sir Whiskers the Cat Mayor! Alas, this kitty appears to be a stock image of a senior cat. But we still want to believe anyway.
The Cats of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Since the days of the Ottoman Empire, cats have been appreciated in the area, and it remains home to thousands of stray cats. In 2018, there was one street cat for every 48 people. The city council does meet about ongoing efforts to spay and neuter them all. Many animal welfare organizations are working to prevent their suffering.
The Cats of Plovdiv have become a symbol for the city and are so popular they appear on merchandise, arts, and crafts. As we often see, the cats have become a favorite for many visitors, even if they don’t hold office.
The Emerald Cat of Bulgaria
There’s another fanciful cat tale from Bulgaria. In 2014, there was a famous cat from the seaside town of Varna who was “emerald green!” Was this a magic cat? Well, she was real in this case, and a startling shade of bright green.
After drawing international attention, it turned out she had possibly climbed into a barrel of powdered green paint at a garage to sleep. In a couple of months, the famous emerald cat lost her color after animal welfare groups bathed her. But as a result of all the attention, she was well-fed by people bringing her lots of treats! They continued to care for her after she was no longer a verdant green.
Conclusion
While the tale of Sir Whiskers, the Cat Mayor of Plovdiv, might be just an imaginative yarn, it reflects the love and fascination people have with cats and their whimsical stories. And as for the real cats of Plovdiv, they continue to charm residents and visitors alike, proving that sometimes, truth can be just as enchanting as fiction.
