PM Jacinda Ardern's partner Clarke Gayford has thanked the public for their donations to the SPCA after the death of New Zealand's much-loved and world-famous "First Cat" Paddles. Photo / Instagram, @jacindaardern
PM Jacinda Ardern's partner Clarke Gayford has thanked the public for their donations to the SPCA after the death of New Zealand's much-loved and world-famous "First Cat" Paddles. Photo / Instagram, @jacindaardern
Paddles, the much loved "First Cat", has been buried alongside her favourite toys in the sunny spot where she used to wait for Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and partner Clarke Gayford to arrive home.
Paddles, a ginger SPCA cat with opposable thumbs, died on Tuesday after being hit by acar. Her death prompted an outpouring of grief all over the world, following her sudden rise to fame after an unknown person started a Twitter account for the feline.
Fondly called the "First Cat of New Zealand" her popularity was cemented by the Huffington Post, who labelled her the most powerful cat in New Zealand.
By the time she died she had more than 11,000 followers on Twitter.
Her death was announced this week, with Gayford and Ardern encouraging Kiwis to donate and "be kind" to the SPCA, reportedly leading to six times the usual donations being received.
Gayford thanked New Zealanders for donating to the SPCA following Paddles' death.
"It's been so wonderful to see a spike in the donations to the SPCA. It's been a little bit of good that's come from this. They do such great work," he said.
He said she had been rushed to the vet by a "really nice" neighbour who had received a knock at the door by the person who had hit Paddles.
