Frankie (Francis)
John Cleese’s most famous feline was Francis (aka Frankie) due to the fact that Cleese specifically made him famous. Frankie’s full name is Francis Feline-Cleese This ginger Maine coon has almost 3,000 Twitter followers and once appeared with his human on the British T.V. show The Last Leg, in a specific attempt to make Frankie famous. Frankie’s nickname is Old Green Eyes and weighed 7kg at one year old. Cleese said he “will stop growing when he’s 37”.
Frankie sadly passed away in January 2023.
Sad news
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) January 20, 2023
One of our Maine Coons died yesterday
One minute Frankie was lying on his side, purring. The next minute, not purring
And not breathing
…Out of the blue…
Something to do w/his heart
What a sweet, wonderful cat, loved to death by a Fish
RIP: Francis Feline-Cleese pic.twitter.com/0e9xrf7QkM
Felix
Felix is John Cleese’s black Maine Coon cat. Felix once spent a very scary day at the vet, only to have his parents be told he just had an upset tummy. Apparently, the stomach ache cost Cleese $350 USD. Felix made an appearance once on The One Show. Cleese has said he’s gotten a DNA test for Felix and apparently he is “one sixteenth human being.”
Heaven
John and Jen Cleese’s Ragdoll cat Heaven apparently sometimes takes exception to the paparazzi. Heaven once accompanied John to a meet and greet with some school-aged children, who asked him how cat babies are made. Cleese replied, “Well, they’re made in cat factories. You know the cat factory down the road from here about 200 yards down on the right? It says ‘cat factory’ and that’s where they make the cats.” But then he burst out laughing, put his head in his hands, and said “I’m sorry!” So, it’s still a mystery as to where baby cats come from. Maybe one day John Cleese will tell us.
Teddy
Teddy is another one of the Cleese Maine Coon cats. He’s a big boy, and very outspoken to the press. Teddy regularly addresses the public and has been named the Official Press Secretary of the Cleese household. He’s outspoken on the issues of mice, saying “I don’t like em. F*ck em.”
Whitey
Whitey is one of John Cleese’s cat, however, he’s not nearly in the public eye as much as the family’s other cats. When naming him, John tweeted “Advice please-Would it be racist if we called him ‘Whitey’? Naming him ‘a cat of minimal colour’ is a bit cumbersome”.
Lucky
In August 2024, John Cleese unveiled Lucky the kitten, who also looks to be a Maine Coon.
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese is an English actor, writer and comedian. John Cleese is a known animal rights activist and has been outspoken on issues such as trophy hunting and fair treatment for animals in film. He’s known to love cats, and had a celebrity cat named Francis, who had no talent at all.
Through a career that has spanned over 50 years and still continues today, Cleese has earned an estimated net worth of $17 million. He is most famous for co-founding the iconic comedy troupe Monty Python and their sketch show in the 60s, followed up with their series of films. He has starred and co-starred in dozens of films, including 80s classics like A Fish Called Wanda with Jamie Lee Curtis and in more recent years as part of the cast of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter movies. He has also continued to tour as a comedian over the years.
Animal Rights
John Cleese is not one to shy away from speaking his mind. On the subject of animal trophy hunting, he’s said “The excitement they experience when they murder an unarmed animal is entirely due to their deep feelings of inadequacy and impotence in ordinary life. So they try to compensate for this sense of inferiority by shooting something much stronger and braver than they are.” Cleese is also a proud vegan and speaks out for the rights of animal actors.
