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I have been to the Hermitage in 2009 and, of course, there was a big line:
It was very beautiful there and I will make a separate post about it.
But..I have not heard the story about the Hermitage cats. When my friend at the studio was painting a cat in dress uniform I have learnt about the Hermitage cats. There is an artist Zakirov who painted the Hermitage cats in aristocrats clothes and awarded them with different ranks. My friend was painting the one in the right bottom corner as that cat reminded her of her husband.
The Hermitage cats are part of the history of the museum. And in the opinion of museum employees to lose these cats is the same as to lose a Rubens' painting. The Hermitage cats are part of the museum and interviews and filming regarding the cats are as frequent as about Rembrandt.
For now there are about 60 cats there and all of them have names. Initially the cats got names after famous artists or sculptors whose pieces of art were exhibited at the Hermitage. Later it was names of countries and the American states.
The Hermitage cats live officially on the territory of the Winter Palace with the purpose to keep the rat population down.
First cats history
There are several versions how cats showed up there.
The first version is that Peter the Great brought the first cat from Holland and the cat was accommodated in the Wooden Palace. According to legend the name of that cat was Vasiliy.
According to the second version Vasiliy was taken from the house of a Dutch tradesman in 1724. They implemented the order about having cats for guarding barns and frightening rats and mice.
Later there were tons of rats and mice in the Winter palace who spoiled the building and made holes in the walls. The legend says that Elizaveta Petrovna learnt about Kazan cats who saved the city from rats and in 1745 she implemented the order about sending Kazan cats to the court.
The Palace was rescued and later the cats moved to the newly built building.
The founder of the Hermitage, the Emperor Ekaterina II, didn't like cats but left them and made them guards of the painting galleries. The cats were divided into 2 classes, inside and outside cats. The inside cats had privileged position and had an access to the the Emperor's body and the outside cats had to live outside or in basements and their task was to protect the Palace from the rats.
The cats lived in the Hermitage during war with Napoleon and after the Revolution but they all died during Leningrad's blockade. They all were eaten. At the hungriest time a cat cost was equal to the cost of loaf of bread. It was a capital. And no wonder that the Winter Palace was full of rats. In 1941 all pieces of arts were evacuated and there were 12 bomb shelters in the museum.
After the war 5000 cats were sent to Leningrad. They say there were 2 wagons of cats. Some of the cats were brought to the Hermitage and the rats disappeared.
In the 60's there were too many cats. Once one cat Murzik peed on a very important document in the Director's office. And the cats were fired but chemicals didn't help against rats and in two years the cats were hired again.
Legend cat Vas'ka - Lawyer
There was a cat - a real fighter against rats. But later he had a creative crisis. He started to visit the Legal Department very often and got the second name, a Lawyer. But he was not there long as the cats could get good food at the main entrance of the museum. And Vas'ka - Lawyer found a new job there. He became a cat - doorman. In mornings with his loud meow - meow he informed that it was high time to open the museum. Then he was laying down on the stairs and required attention from the visitors. Mostly he got love from kids, foreigners and cleaning ladies.
Nowadays
Cats could walk freely at the Hermitage territory but the entrance to the museum halls are prohibited.
The cats have very comfortable conditions but they can't walk inside of museum.
The employees of the museum often tell about the accident when one hairy art amateur went into ventilation system and got stuck there. She was found in 2 days when they heard mournful meowing in Van Dyck hall. The cat was rescued and got the name van Dyck.
They try to be insured against such accidents and such cases are equal to emergency situation.
The design of pipes were lost and nobody knows how the system is organised. But if a cat dies in the ventilation system, the museum will be closed in order they can find its body.
That is why all ventilation pipes have gratings in order cats can't walk inside.
But there is always an exception. For example, a cat Vasya is a friendly guy and a universal photo model. He has a sin like walking in the pavilion hall. He was found there several times and got there with the spiral stairs which is not far from his living place.
If Vasys disappeares, look for him at the museum. But everything is forgiven to him. He is the most famous cat and his photos are in many magazines. The reason is also in his soft character.
Each cats has a flea collar, its own plate, toilet box and sleeping basket. They all are vaccinated and have regulaly check -ups.
The museum employees recognize all cats with "faces" and even tails. And they know their stories.
There is a cat Tishka and he has a girl - friend Steshka. They lived at a place where they were not fed in order they could catch mice better. And those people even mistreated them by putting cats into a freezer.
Persik (peach) is of a peach color indeed. He was rescued from flayers.
Masyanya moved there after her owner's death. And the relatives couldn't take her because of allergy.
There are not many local cats who were born in the museum. The museum cats are fixed. Not only to control reproduction but also for safety. First they fixed only girls but the boys started to go across the street to other girls. Boys will be boys!!!!!!!!!!! And they were dying because of car accidents.
There is only one cat who is not fixed. His name is Timur. It is a beautiful white - red cat. He got into the museum with a broken leg. Now he is walking with a limp. He is a very famous fighter and rat catcher. He was not fixed as after such a surgery he would be gaining weight and it would make his walking even more difficult.
Unfortunately lots of cats died because of car accidents especially during the museum renovation and you can see many special signs "Be careful! Cats!"
There is no special budget line for cats maintenance. Food and other stuff are bought with the money of the museum's employees, sponsors and visitors.
«Day of the Hermitage Cat»
Since 2008 in spring there is a Day of the Hermitage cat. Mostly pupils of Saint Petersburg prepare for this holiday. They are drawing tail guards. At the basements there is an exhibition and then 10 best paintings are chosen and exhibited under the Jordan stairs.
At this day everybody can visit basements to meet the cats. For children different theme quests are organised.
Also you can get a cat home. But it is not quick as new parents are carefully checked. But it is big honour to have such a cat at home!!!!!!!!!!
Sources:
http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/ruwiki/1896281
http://www.akmaya.ru/post340462553/
http://xn----btbnee5app1h.xn--p1ai/ermitazhnye-koty.html
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/marineer/post226338811
http://aroundpet.ru/den-koshek-v-ermitazhe/