Disneyland partners with Interplanetary Overlords to keep Park Mouse Free (well almost)

If you’ve ever owned a cat, or rather, been owned by a cat, then you know that there is something otherworldly about them. It almost seems as if they’re aliens who have been sent to take over the planet. I think I saw that movie once.

One of the strangest places I’ve seen cats is at Disneyland. They are used by the park for rodent control (don’t tell Mickey!) and it seems the story has made its way to The Consumerist, one of my favorite websites.

I’ve seen those feral cats all over the park. Most stay far away from humans, but a few do occasionally come into dining areas to pick up some scraps during the day. If you’re looking for them on your own, check out the area around the Rivers of America near either Hungry Bear or Big Thunder Ranch. But they are pretty much nocturnal.

Here’s another Disneyland cat story: When Walt Disney originally opened Disneyland in 1955 he placed a huge ad for an upcoming movie right in the middle of the park. Walt was no dummy, he knew that Sleeping Beauty Castle would be featured in every families photo album, on television, and magazines – a huge reminder of the upcoming film. Two years later, as the the opening date for Sleeping Beauty approached, scenes from the movie were turned into dioramas and made into a castle walk-through. When construction crews first entered the castle to begin adding the movie elements, they discovered that it was home to over 200 cats who lived in the rafters, nooks, and crannies. (They also noticed that it was a huge fire hazard, but that’s another story.)

Now, it’s unlikely any of the cats you see today are descendants of the original bunch, as they are neutered when caught. So how do those cats all find their way to Disneyland? Well the park is pretty much known as the unofficial dumping place for unwanted cats in Orange County. I’ve seen cars pull up next to the backstage area and throw cats over the fence or onto the sidewalk.

And that’s probably more than you need to know about Cats at Disneyland. Do you have any of your Disneyland feline stories to tell?