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In 2010, Maria
Khaltunen (also "Khaltunin" or "Haltunen"), who directs the museum's cat programme, stated that there were 60 cats on the museum grounds, even though the staff has a joke that officially the museum is only supposed to have 50 cats. Irina Popovets, who became the head of the cat
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dedicated to the cats, and three people act as caretakers. The cats live in the museum's basement, and they also appear on the embankment and on the square during the summer. In previous eras, they roamed throughout the museum galleries.
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Beginning in 2015, because of the number of visiting tourists, a website has been set up by the museum for people who may be interested in adopting a cat. "It is an honor to adopt a
Hermitage cat", one potential cat owner was told.
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In May 2013, the count had grown to 74 cats, of both sexes (but neutered), according to
Haltunen. There are kitchens for preparing their food ("they all have different preferences"), and even a small hospital.
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In the late 1990s, Khaltunen began a programme to care for the cats, which previously lived in poor conditions. As of 2007, the museum began adopting cats needing homes.
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In 2011, the museum began a "Catfest", a celebration of its cat population. "Catfest" has included cat painting contests and scavenger hunts for children.
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As of 2013, donations (a €400-per-month payment from the charity Pro
Animale, and the sponsorship of
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ordered cats to be placed in the palace in order to control the mice. James
Rodgers of the
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The cats were present in the museum, originally a palace, since the 18th century; in 1745,
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The
Hermitage Cats: Treasures from the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
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department, stated that the cats were "as well-known as our collections".
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St. Petersburg's
Hermitage Museum Home to Masters...and Cats
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Group of cats living in a museum in Saint
Petersburg, Russia
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Other cats kept to deter mice in public buildings include:
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stated that the belief is that the cats originated from
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123:Chief Mouser to the Cabinet Office, United Kingdom
307:. September 25, 2012. Retrieved on July 2, 2015.
279:. November 18, 2015. Retrieved on July 18, 2016.
265:The nine lives of Russia's Hermitage Museum cats
318:"Russia's Hermitage Museum Is Filled With Cats"
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254:. July 30, 2010. Retrieved on July 2, 2015.
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228:. June 12, 2009. Retrieved on July 2, 2015.
348:The Hermitage Museum and Maria Haltunen,
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205:. 23 May 2013. Retrieved on 2 July 2015.
193:St Petersburg: the cats of the Hermitage
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165:Hermitage palace is cat's whiskers
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71:) fund the presence of the cats.
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410:History of Saint Petersburg
216:Cat "Army" Guards Treasures
118:Canadian Parliamentary Cats
51:, Russia. The museum has a
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23:One of the Hermitage cats
191:Cole, Teresa Levonian. "
240:Marquardt, Alexander. "
138:List of individual cats
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354:Unicorn Press Limited
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295:Russia's Museum Cats
270:Agence France-Presse
276:Hurriyet Daily News
225:National Geographic
81:Elizabeth of Russia
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323:The Daily Observer
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293:McGrane, Sally. "
163:Rodgers, James. "
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144:References
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132:Royal Mail
251:ABC News
109:See also
369:profile
330:26 June
299:Archive
246:Archive
220:Archive
197:Archive
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75:History
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89:Kazan
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