Alamo Cat Graves

Not all defenders of the Alamo wielded swords and muskets during battle. In recent years, some defenders of the feline species have used their claws and fangs to protect the hallowed ground. Mice beware!

There’s much to see at the Alamo, a UNESCO World Heritage Sight. While admiring the picturesque chapel, weapons from the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, and original maps and letters, it would be easy to miss one of the site’s smaller attractions. But peek into the back courtyard, and you’ll find a couple of gravestones honoring cats.

Ruby and C.C. were two stray cats that took shelter in the Alamo compound. Ruby arrived in in 1981 and passed in 1986. C.C. took up the cause in 1996 and died in 2014. Both cats were cared for by the staff during their years at the site and were quick to become beloved residents. Ruby had a children’s book written about her. C.C. was supposedly bilingual, answering to kitty calls in English and Spanish.

Caretakers of the Alamo are more than willing to point out the graves and give what information they can about them. Currently, there is a new cat in town named Bella who has picked up where Ruby and C.C. left off (and is also apparently tweeting about her duties at the “Meowlamo”). 

Update as of June 2023: The gravestone has been moved due to new construction.