India, Bush Family's 18-Year-Old Cat Dies

WASHINGTON — The first family leaving the White House this month will be without one of its longtime members: the Bush family's 18-year-old cat has died.

The first lady's office said Monday that India, a black American shorthair named for former Texas Rangers player Ruben Sierra, died Sunday at the White House.

Bush daughter Barbara, then 9, named the cat "India" after Sierra, a former major league player, whose nickname was "El Indio." President George W. Bush was a former co-owner of the Texas Rangers.

When Bush daughters Barbara and Jenna went to college, the cat stayed at the White House with the president and first lady. The family affectionately called the cat "Kitty."

Comments

[IndependenceDame]

My sympathies go out to the Bush Family for the loss of their beautiful cat, India. While she got little press compared with the reporter hungry Barney and his cohort Mrs. Beasley, she was purrfect.

[MissElaineous]

18 is a good run for a cat. Since they'll have a lot of time on their hands, I suggest they go to an animal shelter and adopt a couple of cats.

[BadgerinNJ]

Kinnycut stole my thunder. I was about to say, this was the only decent member of the B family.

[Oxonian2001]

Couldn't agree more w/ you and Kinnycut.

I would add tho' that the Bushes' good care for India was probably the ONLY thing they did right!

[kinnycut]

What a shame the cat was the best part of that First Family. I think any pussycat that could put up with the Bush family for eighteen years ought to get a medal for service or something.

[dizzypdx]

Oh no, the cat is not the best member. The dog bit a reporter.

[PSM42]

India had recently been dep. osed for two days in a civil lawsuit investigating ele. ction fraud in Oh. io in the '04 ele. ction.

It is believed that India's owners had recently learned that a visiting Democrat had slipped the feline a high tech bug in a piece of salmon in March 2001. Powered by remote microwaves and operating in a hard to detect 'burst mode,' disguised as feline indigestion, it is believed that India may have been transmitting continuously for seven years. "The cat had to go," said Re. -pug. nant operative Kay Ro. ve (no relation).

(India is STILL not IT specialist. Shum mishtake shurely, Ed.).

[PSM42]

"It was reported that India's plane, a single engine Piper Saratoga, ran out of fuel short of the Akron-Canton Airport. Witnesses on the ground were thus surprised at the ferocity of the resulting fire which left no identifiable remains. An alternative theory of carburetor ice causing engine failure was suggested."

"Friends of India reported that he(???) had been advised that he should not fly his plane as it might have been sab. ota. ged with several recent suspicious mechanical faults."

(India is not IT specialist. Shum mishtake shurely, Ed).

[lmvd3]

Imagine being stuck with those people for 18 years? Eight was painful enough.

[eugenegerard]

The cat was Ken Layed. Bush is getting rid of all his props.

[StillIRise]

No offense to cat lovers, but she probably committed suicide!

[Freesia2]

Poor India. He had a good long life though and all the perks.

It's always sad when someone's pet dies. They're family.

[trendier]

Poor India. I hope she is healthy and young again running free at the rainbow bridge.

[berryessence]

DAMN!

now i can't give a glimpse of hope too like bush

[suemag]

18 is quite old, even for a cat

[suemag]

See, there already was a cool black cat in the White House!

[ThinkCreeps]

What a privileged life for a cat!

How many felines can actually, and not just in their exalted imaginations, be the smartest mammal in their house for nearly 2 decades?