Meet Stubbs the Cat Who Ran a Town Better Than Most Politicians
Talkeetna, a tiny town in Alaska, once made a choice that still surprises people today. Neighbors wanted a break from the usual campaign noise, the signs on every corner, and the arguments that never seem to end. Instead of backing a seasoned candidate or a familiar local figure, they rallied around someone very different. He walked on four paws, napped wherever he felt comfortable, and preferred to hold “meetings” from the top of a counter. That simple decision became part of the town’s story, shaping how people remember Talkeetna even now.
A Joke Turned Into A Landslide
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In the late 1990s, residents of Talkeetna weren’t happy about the list of candidates running for local office. Instead of arguing about it, they selected Stubbs, a tiny orange kitten who lived nearby. He ended up with the title of honorary mayor in 1997, and the town rolled with it.
Most towns would shrug something like this off as a quick joke. Talkeetna turned it into part of who they were. Stubbs held his honorary spot for nearly twenty years, long enough to feel like a fixture of everyday life. He never made speeches or offered grand plans, and he certainly never stayed up worrying about policy. He was simply there, a small orange reminder of the town’s easy humor and the way people chose to look at the world.
Cracking The Tourism Code
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Stubbs didn’t campaign for publicity, but it found him anyway. Reports at the time said 30 to 40 travelers stopped into the local general store each day, hoping to spot the cat. That’s a wild number for a place with fewer than a thousand residents. Once media outlets caught wind of this odd political tale, Talkeetna landed in travel segments, magazines, and online chatter. A single write-in joke gave the town a lot of exposure.
Life Inside His “Office”
Most people expect a mayor to hold court in a building with big doors and official seals. Stubbs chose a countertop in the general store. Staff members said he liked lounging where customers could see him. Travelers stepped in thinking they’d browse snacks and postcards, then realized they had walked into an unfiltered piece of town culture.
His routine stayed simple. He slept, stretched, and gave visitors a calm glance before going back to his day. Locals barely noticed him because he blended into the space, while tourists reacted like they had discovered a tiny celebrity. That contrast became part of Talkeetna’s charm, since everyone liked that he didn’t need to “lead” anything to matter.
A Surviving Legacy
Image via Getty Images/Rudy Kremert
Stubbs passed away in July 2017, but his story hasn’t faded. He didn’t fix roads or balance budgets. He gave people something better to discuss. Families visiting Alaska made detours just to see him. Kids loved the idea of a cat with a title. Adults liked telling the story later. In the process, Talkeetna found itself on maps and travel lists because it embraced a moment of collective humor.
Walk through Talkeetna today, and people still mention the honorary mayor. He represents a long-running inside joke that grew into a global headline. Stubbs didn’t need speeches or strategies. He simply needed to exist, and somehow that worked better than anyone expected.