King Charles said to have lifelong aversion to cats
King Charles is said to have developed a lasting aversion to cats after receiving a kitten as a child, according to a royal author. The claim offers a rare detail about the monarch’s personal dislikes, despite the Royal Family’s well-known enthusiasm for animals and long-standing links to animal welfare charities.
Hello Magazine reported that former BBC correspondent Mr Brian Hoey wrote in his 2013 book Pets by Royal Appointment that Princess Margaret gave Charles a kitten when he was young and that he “disliked it on sight,” later saying he could not even stand having a cat in the same room.
Mr Hoey’s account, as cited in the piece, also claims the King “cannot bear” to touch cats and can tell if a cat lives in a house even when the animal is not present. The report contrasts the alleged feline aversion with the wider Royal Family’s affection for dogs, noting that Charles has previously owned dogs and that Queen Camilla keeps two Jack Russells.
The anecdote comes amid continued public interest in the King’s routines and preferences, following his upcoming US trip amid political tensions that has been the subject of fresh royal coverage in recent days.
While the Royal Family’s public work often highlights animal charities and the role pets play in royal households, the reported story underlines that individual tastes can differ even within a family known for its love of animals.
