Original photo by Julie Marshall/ Shutterstock

Spend enough time at Disneyland and you’ll see them. Maybe you’ll spot one snoozing in the bushes near the Jungle Cruise or observing you warily as you ride the tram, but one thing is certain: However many cats you see, there are more out of sight. About 200 feral cats roam the Happiest Place on Earth, where they earn their keep by helping to control the rodent population. The felines were first seen not long after Disneyland opened in 1955, when they took up residence in Sleeping Beauty Castle, and it soon became evident that keeping them around had more advantages than trying to escort them off the premises.

Disneyland was almost built somewhere else.

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Though the park ended up being built in Anaheim, Walt Disney originally proposed constructing it just down the street from Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. Anaheim was chosen in part because there was more land available to accommodate Disney’s expanding vision.

The mutually beneficial alliance even includes permanent feeding stations for the cats, as well as spaying or neutering and vaccinations. Though not official cast members, these adept hunters — who mostly come out at night — have earned a devoted following of their own. There are websites, Instagram feeds, and YouTube videos devoted to them. They’re not quite as popular as the actual rides at Disneyland, of course, but for cat-lovers, they’re an attraction all their own.

Numbers Don't Lie

Numbers Don't Lie

Disneyland visitors in 2019
18.6 million
Price of the Inspire Key, Disneyland’s most expensive annual pass
$1,600
Cost of admission on Disneyland’s opening day
$1
Disney parks worldwide
12

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The first Disneyland ticket was bought by Walt Disney’s ______.

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The first Disneyland ticket was bought by Walt Disney’s brother.

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A train station in Disneyland plays a message in Morse code.

Next time you find yourself on the Disneyland railroad, listen closely when the train pulls into its second station. New Orleans Square, which houses a telegraph office, plays a secret message in Morse code paraphrased from Walt Disney’s opening-day speech: “To all who come to Disneyland, welcome. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.” There are many other secrets in the park, from the optical illusion that makes Sleeping Beauty Castle look bigger to Walt Disney’s favorite chili recipe at the Carnation Cafe.

Michael Nordine
Staff Writer

Michael Nordine is a writer and editor living in Denver. A native Angeleno, he has two cats and wishes he had more.