The end of an era: Last feline from Parliament Hill cat colony dies

Olivia Stefanovich · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 09, 2025 3:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

After putting his sanction furrward for premier curate and bringing joyousness to millions of people, the past feline from the beloved erstwhile feline colony connected Parliament Hill has died.

Coal Taurozzi was with his proprietor Danny Taurozzi and his younger, adoptive member Winston erstwhile helium was fixed veterinary assistance successful dying connected Tuesday following a agelong conflict with cancer, according to Danny.

Coal had conscionable turned 17 connected Canada Day, and suffered a crisp diminution successful wellness this week.

"He was a gentle feline with a bosom of gold," Taurozzi said. "He was bully with everybody. He was not aggressive."

'We wouldn't person that successful Washington'

Coal, with his pitchy achromatic fur and agleam greenish eyes, for years greeted millions of visitors to the astir almighty governmental grounds successful Canada.

He was dumped arsenic a kitten connected Parliament Hill and grew up successful the feline colony, wherever helium was cared for and fed by volunteers. 

Cats were brought to the House of Commons successful its aboriginal years to woody with rodents. By the 1950s, their hunting skills were replaced with different pest power methods and they were banished.

Volunteers past took attraction of the mousers, gave them names and built them a tiny colony connected a slope down Centre Block for protection.

At its height, the sanctuary had much than 30 strays that devoured adjacent to $7,000 worthy of feline nutrient each twelvemonth paid for by donations, not the national government.

For politicians, the cats were accent relievers. The felines were adjacent fixed unofficial, informal RCMP protection.  

The sanctuary was besides a fashionable tourer attraction. The Department of Canadian Heritage said Hill guides inactive get questions astir the cats to this day.

"Americans perfectly loved it erstwhile they came and visited the cats," Danny said. "[They'd say], 'We wouldn't person that successful Washington!'"

The sanctuary yet closed successful 2013 amid concerns astir the animals' welfare. All remaining cats were adopted, including Coal who went location with Taurozzi.  

Donations gave Coal the champion aesculapian attraction available

In the years that followed, Coal acquired a ample societal media pursuing and adjacent ran for premier curate successful the 2015 national election. 

Coal captivated nationalist attraction erstwhile again past twelvemonth aft his proprietor launched a fundraiser to assistance wage for his costly aesculapian bills. 

Coal had a uncommon and assertive crab called salivary gland carcinoma, which aboriginal dispersed to his lungs. He was besides warring arthritis and kidney disease.

Taurozzi had favored insurance, but it didn't screen Coal's afloat aesculapian bills. He said Coal's aesculapian attraction outgo much than $30,000. 

He raised much than $15,000 done a Go Fund Me campaign, which helped widen Coal's beingness and gave him the champion aesculapian attraction available. 

He said he's thankful to everyone who donated, and wants Coal to beryllium remembered arsenic a Canadian awesome of compassion.

"It was a peculiar happening to person cats connected Parliament Hill," Danny said.