Achilles, the white-furred male cat, is Russia’s successor to Paul the Octopus, who became an unlikely star of the 2010 World Cup by predicting the outcome of eight matches.Achilles, a clairvoyant cat who is the official World Cup soothsayer this year, lives at the Hermitage museum in Saint Petersburg. The white-furred male cat is Russia’s successor to Paul the Octopus, who became an unlikely star of the 2010 World Cup by predicting the outcome of eight matches.
Zabiyaka, the goat from the Samara zoo, too predicts the results of the matches, but all eyes are on Achilles. So far, he has correctly predicted the results of four matches: Russia vs Saudi Arabia, Iran vs Morocco, Russia vs Egypt and Brazil vs Costa Rica.
The Hermitage museum, where Achilles lives, is the second-largest museum in the world. As there was a long queue outside the main building, I was certain there would be a deluge of people to catch a glimpse of the celebrity cat. When I asked my guide about Achilles, he showed me the Egyptian section at the museum, but I could not find any animal there, let alone a cat! Some Ancient Egyptian artefacts and mummies were all I could see there.
So I decided to seek Google’s help to get the Russian word for cat. The service assistant, who had a confused look on his face until then, smiled widely when I confidently asked him to show me ‘koshka’!
He explained to me that Achilles is not part of the animal displays at the museum, but he is one of the 50 cats who work full-time with a team of other felines to keep the world-famous museum free of rodents.
Ahead of the World Cup, Achilles moved out of his lifelong home of the basements of the Hermitage, and is currently staying at the ‘Cat Republic’ cafe nearby. Though I went there to meet him, it was informed that he was away for some promotional programme. I bought a ticket paying 500 rubles (Rs. 538.82) and waited for about an hour at the cafe’s lounge.
As the name suggests, Cat Republic cares for around 50 fluffy little kittens who are allowed to roam freely in and around the cafe. This place combines a little cozy coffee shop, a small club, a souvenir shop and a ‘cat therapy’ hall. Visitors have the opportunity to sit back and relax with a cup of coffee and spend time in the soothing company of feline friends.
Although Achilles is a VIP among them, the other kittens too are stars in their own right. They all have websites and Wikipedia pages. If you intend to adopt a cat, you can visit the website and pick one of your choice. In 2009, the National Geographic Channel had done a documentary on the Hermitage cats.
The cats were present in the museum since the 18th century after Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, distressed by the prevalence of mice and other vermin in the palace, issued a decree demanding a shipment of cats to be sent from Kazan to solve the problem. The museum has a press secretary dedicated to the cats, and three people act as caretakers.
Finally, the star – Achilles – arrived. The furry white feline with blue eyes gently raised his head and stood there majestically, seemingly enjoying his new-found fame. Achilles paid no attention to the visitors or noises around him, not because he was haughty, but he was born deaf. But that seems to have only sharpened his precognitive abilities!
Read: World Cup News
