He’s greeted millions of visitors to the most powerful political grounds in the country, and even put his name furr-ward for prime minister.
Coal Taurozzi is the last surviving feline from the beloved former cat colony on Parliament Hill.
For years, Coal brought joy to Parliament Hill with his jet black fur and bright green eyes. Now his pet dad is hoping the public will come to his rescue.
Danny Taurozzi, who adopted Coal after the sanctuary closed in 2013, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help pay for the cat’s mounting medical bills for an aggressive salivary gland cancer.
“Coal is a charismatic, gentle soul,” Taurozzi said. “He’s a special little guy.”
The famed Parliament Hill cat recently had a malignant tumour removed after a lump was found behind his left ear this spring.
Coal is cancer-free now, but requires regular follow up treatment while he also battles arthritis and kidney disease.
Taurozzi has pet insurance, but the medical bills still cost thousands of dollars.
‘We should keep supporting the last survivor’
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who became attached to the House of Commons cats, called Tauozzi’s efforts to save Coal heartwarming.
“It’s the only coal phase-out I don’t support,” May said.
“We should keep supporting the last survivor of what was a fixture on Parliament Hill.”
At the ripe old cat age of 16, Coal is just as curious and affectionate as when Taurozzi first met him.
Coal was dumped as a kitten and spent four years growing up at the parliamentary cat colony, where he was cared for and fed by volunteers, including Taurozzi.
“It gave a lot of purpose,” said Brian Caines, who co-ordinated the sanctuary’s efforts in its final years.
“It’s certainly part of the lore of the city and part of the lore of Parliament Hill as well,” Caines said.
Caines started caring for the cats of the Hill in the ’90s on breaks from work as a public servant and continued into retirement.
He still fondly remembers Coal, the youngest of the colony, who would come out when called.
MPs practiced speeches, frequently visited cat colony
Cats were brought to the House of Commons in its early days to catch rodents. But by the ’50s, their hunting skills were no longer needed.
Banished to the elements, volunteers started taking care of the mousers, giving them names and building a tiny village on a slope behind Centre Block to protect them.
At its height, the sanctuary had more than 30 strays that devoured close to $7,000 worth of cat food every year paid for by donations, not the federal government.
Politicians of all stripes visited the cats. Taurozzi said some MPs even spoke to the felines before Question Period.
“Because they made sense,” he said.
In anticipation of construction on the Hill, volunteers decided to adopt all the cats out after a spay and neutering campaign saw the feline numbers dwindle. That’s when Taurozzi stepped in.
“He just looked like he wanted a forever home,” he said. “He was just a friendly little guy.”
Hoping to stretch a few more lives
Laureen Harper, wife of former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, fostered dozens of cats from the Ottawa Humane Society while they lived at 24 Sussex Drive.
She told CBC News that while she’s sad for the last Parliament Hill cat, she’s happy there are no more homeless felines living in the shadow of Centre Block.
“Spaying and neutering a feral colony helps it disappear over time, which is a good thing in the larger picture,” Harper said.
To this day, the department of Canadian Heritage says Hill guides still get questions about the cats.
Sanctuary for strays at Parliament Hill closes shop as they look for a home for the last of the cats.
Taurozzi kept fans updated on social media and campaigned for Coal during the 2015 federal election.
“There are other felines who put their name up for prime minister, but Coal is the only one with parliamentary experience,” Taurozzi said.
“He wasn’t partisan. He was all for a coal-ition government.”
It will be the end of an era when Coal eventually makes his journey to kitty heaven.
In the meantime, Taurozzi plans to give his best friend the best life he possibly can.
“It’s a choice that I make,” Tauozzi said. “It’s rewarding.… Coal’s my buddy.”