With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
Room 8, The Cat That Adopted An Echo Park School, Died 50 Years Ago Today

On the corner of Baxter and Echo Park Avenue, a sidewalk runs along the edge of Elysian Heights Elementary School. It spans almost an entire block, but if you look closely, you'll see messages of love carved into the cement.
Back in the 1960s, students left behind written tributes to one of the school's most beloved figures of all time: a domestic shorthair cat. His name was Room 8.
He died on August 13, 1968 -- 50 years ago today.
Room 8 first made his appearance in 1952, wandering into the elementary school during recess and ransacking the children's lunches. The students named him after the room where they found him.
He lived at the school while classes were in session and then disappeared during the summer, returning again only when students did. For the 16 years following his arrival, he wove himself into the community and Los Angeles history.
As historian Paul Koudanaris put it to KPCC's Take Two, it wasn't that the school had adopted a cat -- "but that a cat had adopted a school."

And this cat was popular. During his time at the school, Room 8 received more than 10,000 pieces of mail from all over the country.
In his life, he never took a permanent home. He was always technically a stray cat. So when he died in 1968, the students wanted to give him a permanent resting place.
The students set out to secure a burial for Room 8 at the Los Angeles pet cemetery in Calabasas. It's where celebrities like Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart laid their pets to rest -- and where famous animals like the MGM lion are buried.
When they put out a call to help raise funds, they were overwhelmed with the response. The money that came pouring in was enough to secure Room 8 one of the largest headstones in the cemetery.

"The whole history of Hollywood celebrities has their pets in that cemetery," said Koudanaris, "yet that cat, that homeless cat who adopted a school has a bigger memorial than any of them. And to this day, his grave is still the most visited."
Room 8 also made waves posthumously. His obituary in the L.A. Times took up three columns and included a picture. And in 1972, a cat shelter took on the name Room 8 in his honor -- it's currently in Riverside.
And to celebrate his life on the school's campus, Elysian Elementary painted murals around the building, etched his name into the sidewalk, and hung portraits of him in hallways.







Rest in peace, you glorious feline.
You made it! Congrats, you read the entire story, you gorgeous human. This story was made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism costs $$$$$. And now that LAist is part of KPCC, we rely on that support. So if you aren't already, be one of us! Help us help you live your best life in Southern California. Donate now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.

-
Metro officials said it will be able to announce an opening date “soon.”
-
While working for the county, the DA’s office alleges that 13 employees fraudulently filed for unemployment, claiming to earn less than $600 a week.
-
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to declare immigration enforcement actions a local emergency.
-
Tens of thousands of workers across Southern California walk out over pay and staffing issues.
-
People in and around recent burn scars should be alert to the risk of debris flows. Typical October weather will be back later this week.
-
Jet Propulsion Laboratory leadership says the cuts amount to 11% of the workforce.