Hamish McHamish
{{Short description|Ginger cat from St Andrews, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox animal
| name = Hamish McHamish
| image = Hamish McHamish In Bookshop.jpg
| caption = Hamish at Waterstones bookshop in St Andrews
| birth_name =
| othername =
| species = Felis catus
| breed =
| gender = Male
| birth_date = {{birth-date|1999}} (exact date unknown, though prior to or on 11 September)
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and given age|2014|09|11|15|df=y}}
| death_place = St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates=
| nationality = Scotland
| known =
| awards =
| owner = Marianne Baird
| parents =
| children =
| weight =
| height =
| appearance = Ginger and white, green eyes
}}
Hamish McHamish (1999 – 11 September 2014) was a ginger cat who lived in the town of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. He came to national and international prominence after the publication of a book entitled Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town.{{cite web |last=Merz |first=Theo |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/10437546/Hamish-McHamish-cat-to-be-immortalised-with-5000-bronze-statue.html |title=Hamish McHamish: cat to be immortalised with £5,000 bronze statue |publisher=Telegraph |date=9 November 2013 |access-date=21 March 2014}}{{cite book |last=McMullan |first=Susan |title=Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town |year=2012 |publisher=Black & White |location=Edinburgh |isbn=978-1-84502-502-1}}
Hamish built up a following on social media, with a dedicated Facebook page{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/hamish.mchamish.3 |title=Hamish McHamish |publisher=Facebook |access-date=21 March 2014}} and Twitter account set up by fans.{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/hamishstandrews |title=Hamish McHamish (@hamishstandrews) on Twitter |publisher=Twitter |access-date=21 March 2014}}
Early life
Hamish was born in 1999 and was initially owned by Marianne Baird, a retired BBC producer, with whom he lived during his first year.{{cite web|title=Google Maps|url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Queen's+Gardens/@56.3381833,-2.7954421,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x488657906c618495:0x9884b0f769ee2b87|access-date=24 March 2014}} During this time he became increasingly nomadic, often spending days away from home, being fed and watered at various homes in the town. He was known to spend most of his time in and around the houses and businesses on South Street, St Andrews, close to his original home.
Throughout Hamish's life, Ms. Baird cared for his well-being by ensuring he attended a veterinary surgeon every year for a health check and vaccinations.{{cite web|title=STV News|url=http://news.stv.tv/tayside/194825-book-published-about-famous-st-andrews-town-cat-hamish-mchamish/|access-date=24 March 2014|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072324/http://news.stv.tv/tayside/194825-book-published-about-famous-st-andrews-town-cat-hamish-mchamish/|url-status=dead}}
Rise to fame
Home to the University of St Andrews, St Andrews has a large population of tourists and students who had encountered Hamish throughout the years. Hamish had several regular spots where he spent his days. These were primarily local businesses near the Holy Trinity Church{{cite web|title=Holy Trinity Parish Church|url=http://www.holyt.co.uk/|access-date=24 March 2014}} and Church Square in St Andrews. The creation of a Hamish McHamish Facebook profile, with in-character messages supposedly composed by the cat, raised his profile further; he had nearly 5,000 Facebook friends,{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/hamish.mchamish.3/friends |title=Hamish McHamish |website=www.facebook.com |access-date=April 5, 2014}} and visitors to the town specifically sought him out to be photographed with him. A local bookshop had a "Hamish recommends" section, with cookbooks for fish and fiction featuring cats.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/hamish-mchamish-dead-st-andrews-town-cat-passes-away-after-battling-chest-infection-9726007.html|title=Hamish McHamish dead: St Andrew's town cat passes away after battling chest infection - People - News - The Independent|last=Morse|first=Felicity|date=11 September 2014|work=The Independent|access-date=11 September 2014}}
The interest created by visitors, students and townsfolk led to the publication of a book about his everyday activities. Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town{{cite book|last=McMullan|first=Susan|title=Hamish McHamish of St Andrews : cool cat about town|year=2012|publisher=Black & White|location=Edinburgh|isbn=978-1845025021}} was written by Susan McMullan.
In January 2014, Hamish was chased by two dogs and escaped up a tree. He was helped to safety by university students and staff of a hairdressers he frequented to get his hair combed. This incident encouraged Jim Leishman, Provost of Fife, to ask dog owners to ensure their pets were kept on a lead while near Hamish.{{cite web|title=Daily Record|date=30 January 2014 |url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/provost-fife-dunfermline-legend-jim-3091142|access-date=24 March 2014}}
He was featured on BBC television's The One Show, and his story also appeared in newspapers across the world.{{cite web|title=Canadian Broadcasting Company|url=http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2014/04/scottish-town-erects-8000-statue-for-beloved-stray-cat.html|access-date=14 October 2014}}
Statue
[[File:Hamish McHamish statue St Andrews.jpg|thumb|Hamish McHamish statue St Andrews
]]
On 5 April 2014 a bronze statue of Hamish by David Annand{{cite web |url=http://www.davidannand.com/index.html |title=David Annand official website |date=14 October 2014 |access-date=14 October 2014 |archive-date=7 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207110344/http://www.davidannand.com/index.html |url-status=dead }} was unveiled in Logies Lane{{cite web |url=http://www.visitstandrews.com/behind-statue-hamish/ |title=Behind the statue of Hamish McHamish |publisher=Visit St Andrews |date=20 March 2014 |access-date=21 March 2014}} by Jim Leishman. The funding for the statue was raised by a public donation campaign started by Flora Selwyn, the editor of [https://standrewsinfocus.com/ St Andrews in Focus - a community magazine].[http://www.standrewsinfocus.com/about.html/ St Andrews In Focus magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821020342/http://standrewsinfocus.com/about.html |date=21 August 2018 }}, an independently owned & edited bimonthly magazine.
Death
Hamish died on 11 September 2014. A statement on his Facebook group said:{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/pictures-hamish-mchamish-famous-st-4200423|title=In pictures: Hamish McHamish the famous St Andrews cat dies aged 15|last=Callaghan|first=Carla|date=11 September 2014|work=Daily Record|access-date=11 September 2014}}
{{Blockquote|In the end, the chest infection that he had been battling proved too much for him and the kindest thing to do was to let him go. Thank you, Hamish, for the years of joy you’ve given us and for letting us all be part of your life. May your remarkable spirit live on forever in the town you loved... and ruled! Here’s to you, old chum.|sign=|source=}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book|last=McMullan|first=Susan|title=Hamish McHamish of St Andrews: Cool Cat About Town|year=2012|publisher=Black and White Publishing|isbn=978-1845025021}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McHamish, Hamish}}
Category:Animals on the Internet