Bella the Alamo cat featured on Christmas ornament

Bella has been the official Alamo cat since 2015

The Alamo unveils a Bella the Alamo Cat Ornament. (Courtesy of the Alamo Trust Inc.)

SAN ANTONIO – It might be the purrfect gift for your Alamo aficionados and feline-loving friends.

The Alamo has released a new Christmas ornament featuring Bella the Alamo cat.

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It’s available at the Alamo’s online store and features Bella in front of the Texas flag, the Alamo, the Tower of Americas, a cowboy hat and an armadillo.

Bella has been the official Alamo cat since 2015 — following in the paw prints of her predecessors, Ruby and CC. Her official name is Miss Isabella “Bella” Francisca Veramendi de Valero and according to her online bio, she greets visitors and defends the Alamo from rodents. She has an official Instagram page and X profile.

In a 2021 Facebook post, the Alamo explained why the mission has an official cat.

“Why is there an Alamo Cat? There are a few versions to the legend but after the Battle of the Alamo, a cat ran through the Alamo and was shot by a Mexican soldado,” the post stated.


About the Author

Julie Moreno has worked in local television news for more than 25 years. She came to KSAT as a news producer in 2000. After producing thousands of newscasts, she transitioned to the digital team in 2015. She writes on a wide variety of topics from breaking news to trending stories and manages KSAT’s daily digital content strategy.

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