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Sir Winston Churchill was given a marmalade cat for his 88th birthday in 1962. The cat, named Jock, attended many cabinet meetings. It was rumoured that meals would not start until the pet was at the table. Churchill asked that there always be a cat with four white paws and a white bib residing at Chartwell in Kent. The National Trust, which was left the property by Churchill's family in 1966, has always honoured the request.

In May 2020 Chartwell welcomed Jock VII, a six-month-old rescue kitten, to take up this role. Jock VII, previously known as Sunshine, was rescued by the RSPCA before being adopted by one of the team at Chartwell. He was rescued along with 30 other cats from squalid conditions. The kittens were very weak and undernourished but were young enough to be brought back to health quickly. Jock was the most confident of the whole group and was already playful and full of fun. Jock VII's predecessor, Jock VI, came to Chartwell in 2014. Sadly, he became almost completely blind and was finding life at Chartwell difficult. After his six years of service, he retired and is now enjoying a much quieter and more peaceful life with a member of staff in a garden of his own.