Wait, so cats used to call Tower Bridge home?
Yep, the friendly felines have a long ol' history with Tower Bridge. Up until the 1980s, a crew of cats lived inside the bridge and there was even a Cat Manager called Linda hired to look after them!
The cats were officially employed by the City of London Corporation and their role was simple – get rid of the mice and rats lurking in and around the area. And they were paid hansomely in cat food, vet fees and, of course, cuddles.
The last pair of cats to live at the bridge were called Gladys and – an aptly-named – Bridget. They had their quarters in the bridge’s storeroom and were able to indulge in as much mice-catching as they could.
What's the Tower Bridge Cat Trail?
Inspired by Tower Bridge's cat history, author Tee Dobinson created a series of books about a fictional cat called Bella who lives at Tower Bridge with the Bridge Master. When you visit Tower Bridge, you can take a family-friendly Cat Trail around the entire structure. Grab an Apprenticeship Record when you first arrive and then follow the trail around the site collecting stamps in key areas and learning all about Tower Bridge's history.
As well as Bella, you'll see the Bridge Master, Hannah the Cook, Poppy the Painter, and more characters from the books.
Don't forget to pick up your all-important Apprenticeship Record
What does the Tower Bridge Cat Trail look like?
Here's a little teaser...
You'll see the first image of Bella right as you enter the Tower Bridge stairwell, welcoming you into her home.
You'll get a bit of encouragement as you're huffing and puffing your way up 206 stairs! Remember to 'paws' if you need to catch your breath.
Stop by and say hi to plenty of characters who use the bridge day-to-day.
Learn all about how the Tower was built. Okay, cats probably weren't involved in the excavation, but we'll let that one go.
Aaand finally a throwback to catching all those mice back in the 80s!
The cat-themed activities don't end there
On the official Tower Bridge website you can download a 'cat' edition of the Tower Bridge Times featuring connect the dots and crosswords. You've also got Tower Bridge colouring sheets to download and get creative with.
Enjoyed this? Then read why London's Uber Boat is the VIP way to travel. Or find out all about London's famous bridges.
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