Room 8: The School Cat Who Became a Celebrity

Room 8 was a neighborhood cat who wandered into a classroom in 1952 at Elysian Heights Elementary School in Echo Park, California. He lived in the school during the school year and then disappeared for the summer, returning when classes started again. This pattern continued without interruption until the mid-1960s. He became famous and received up to 100 letters a day addressed to him at the school. He was featured in a documentary, a children's book, a magazine article, and a song. He died in 1968 and was buried in a pet cemetery, where he has one of the largest headstones. He is still remembered and honored by the school and the community.

Room 8 was not a typical cat. He was independent and adventurous, but also friendly and affectionate. He had a distinctive appearance, with a black and white coat and a crooked tail. He was not owned by anyone, but he chose to adopt the school as his home. He had a favorite classroom, Room 8, where he would nap on the teacher's desk or the students' laps. He would also roam around the school, visiting other classrooms, the cafeteria, the library, and the playground. He was loved and welcomed by everyone, from the principal to the janitor. He was a part of the school family.

Room 8 also became a media sensation. He was the subject of a 1964 documentary called Big Cat, Little Cat, which showed his life at the school and his interactions with the students. He was also the inspiration for a 1966 children's book, A Cat Called Room 8, written by Virginia Finley and Beverly Mason, and illustrated by Valerie Martin. The book told the story of how Room 8 came to the school and how he touched the lives of the children. He was also featured in a three-page article by photographer Richard Hewett in the November 1962 issue of Look magazine, titled "Room 8: The School Cat". He even had a song dedicated to him, "Room 8", written and performed by guitarist Leo Kottke in his 1971 album, Mudlark.

Room 8 died on August 13, 1968, at the age of 21. He had been injured in a cat fight and suffered from pneumonia. He was taken to a veterinary hospital, where he passed away. His death was mourned by the school and the public, and his obituary ran in newspapers across the country. The students raised funds for his funeral and his gravestone, which reads "Room 8 - The Most Famous Cat in Los Angeles". He is buried at the Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park in Calabasas, California, where his grave is still the most visited. The school also has a wall mural, a plaque, and a bookshelf dedicated to him. His book is read to each new class, and his paw prints are immortalized in cement on the sidewalk outside the school.

Room 8 was a remarkable cat who made a lasting impression on the school and the world. He was a symbol of love, friendship, and curiosity. He was a cat who adopted a school, and a school who adopted a cat.

Below is the video version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO8YxcxOZXM