Putin's 'peace cat' passes away
Mir the Cat, a feline once presented by Russian President Vladimir Putin to a Japanese governor, has sadly passed away. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Mir the Cat, a feline that Russian President Vladimir Putin gifted to Norihisa Satake, the governor of Japan's Akita Prefecture, has died, as reported by local authorities on Tuesday.
The gray Siberian cat was 12 years old and had been facing health problems for some time, according to the prefectural press service relaying information to TASS.
The governor received the kitten from Putin in 2012, who named it Mir. This gift was a return gesture from the Russian president, who had previously received an Akita-Inu, a large dog breed emblematic of the prefecture. At the time, media reports indicated that Putin, known for his fondness for dogs, initially thought of giving Satake a dog but decided otherwise after discovering the governor's preference for cats.
Putin named the dog Yume, and it frequently appeared alongside him in public. Yume was presented as a token of appreciation for Russia's assistance during the emergency response to the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and resulted in the death of at least 19,700 people in Japan.
The journey for the kitten to reach Japan was challenging; it had to undergo a six-month quarantine upon arrival. The prominent feline received multiple visits from Russian diplomats who ensured it had all the necessary supplies.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mir was placed in isolation once more due to concerns about the potential risk of contracting the virus. At that time, Satake expressed that the cat had truly become a cherished member of his family.
“It has a great appetite, it’s strong and cheerful, and it has a calm character. Mir gets along well with six other cats that live in our house. This is a special creature for me – my soul rests when I see its face,” the governor stated then.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
The gray Siberian cat was 12 years old and had been facing health problems for some time, according to the prefectural press service relaying information to TASS.
The governor received the kitten from Putin in 2012, who named it Mir. This gift was a return gesture from the Russian president, who had previously received an Akita-Inu, a large dog breed emblematic of the prefecture. At the time, media reports indicated that Putin, known for his fondness for dogs, initially thought of giving Satake a dog but decided otherwise after discovering the governor's preference for cats.
Putin named the dog Yume, and it frequently appeared alongside him in public. Yume was presented as a token of appreciation for Russia's assistance during the emergency response to the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster and resulted in the death of at least 19,700 people in Japan.
The journey for the kitten to reach Japan was challenging; it had to undergo a six-month quarantine upon arrival. The prominent feline received multiple visits from Russian diplomats who ensured it had all the necessary supplies.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Mir was placed in isolation once more due to concerns about the potential risk of contracting the virus. At that time, Satake expressed that the cat had truly become a cherished member of his family.
“It has a great appetite, it’s strong and cheerful, and it has a calm character. Mir gets along well with six other cats that live in our house. This is a special creature for me – my soul rests when I see its face,” the governor stated then.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
