Paddles (cat)


Paddles was a ginger and white polydactyl cat, owned by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner. Paddles was a rescue cat, adopted by Ardern from a branch of the SPCA. She became a celebrity as the "First Cat" after Ardern took office, and a Twitter account was established in her name. Ardern said that she didn't know who created the account. Paddles interrupted the congratulatory phone call from US President Donald Trump.
Paddles was run over by a car and killed in the Auckland suburb of Point Chevalier on 7 November 2017.