Foss (cat)
Foss (c. 1873 – 26 November 1887), formally named Aderphos, was the pet cat of Edward Lear, the 19th-century author, artist, illustrator and poet. A "stumpy-tailed," "portly," and "unattractive" tabby cat, he was a favourite of Lear's and played an important role as a companion in the poet's lonely later years. Foss is mentioned frequently in Lear's correspondence and appears in his illustrations and at least one poem. Foss is said to have been the inspiration for the pussycat in Lear's illustrations for his poem "The Owl and the Pussycat". The funeral that Lear provided for Foss, which included an epigraphed headstone, is said to have been more elaborate than Lear's own. Description Foss is said to have been adopted by Edward Lear whilst a kitten in 1873, though Lear later claimed he was older. His full name was the Greek word Aderphos (a variant of Adelphos, "brother"), but he was generally known by the shortened form of "Foss" or, particularly by Lear, "Old Foss". Foss was a tabby cat described as "unattractive." His tail was cut short by Lear's servants to try to prevent him from wandering. No photographs survive of the cat, as he jumped out of Lear's