Ash a.k.a. Big Cat

 

Ash, a 15-pound Russian Blue, is the inn’s official mascot and he often works the front desk and visits with guests.

It’s no wonder. From his point of view, he’s been in charge from the moment he presented himself to us as a stray in October 2003. And becoming a TV star a month later didn’t do much to dissuade him.

But before we get more into Ash’s story, we'd like our guests to know that while we try to run a pet-friendly inn, we are acutely aware that not everyone enjoys animals equally.

 

Guests who have cat allergies should know we realize Ash’s presence can be especially problematic for you. He's only allowed to roam around in the public areas during the day and we will keep him away from you if you have a problem.

 

Here's how Ash came to us: 

 

We weren’t the first inn Ash tried to adopt in October 2003. He’d hit up the owners at the B&B across the street before deciding our inn’s porch made an ideal place to snooze. From that first day, he pandered shamelessly to guests who were soon asking us if he was ours. 

We were reluctant to bring him aboard at first, but knew we had no choice after he made the cameo appearance of a lifetime a few weeks later on WTLV-TV, when the local NBC affiliate did a live story at the inn about what it’s like to be an innkeeper.

As if on cue, right after the reporter tasted her breakfast at one of our porch tables, Ash popped his head up on the other side of the window to check out what was on her plate. The news anchors in the studio couldn’t stop laughing and a star was born. The inn had a new member.

It wasn’t until six months later that we found out Ash wasn’t a stray at all. He had been one of several inn cats at the Florida House Inn several blocks away, but apparently decided he’d rather spend his time somewhere he could rule the roost himself. The Florida House innkeeper graciously accepted his choice.