# Freya (cat)
**Freya** is a name given to many pet cats, derived from Freyja (also spelt Freja or Freyia), the Norse goddess of love, fertility, and war who in mythology rode a chariot drawn by two cats[1](https://localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-cats/) • [2](https://historiska.se/en/explore-history/history-hub/freyja-goddess-of-fertility-and-war/). Individual cats bearing the name have appeared in news stories, charity appeals, and shelter adoption records; the best-documented include a British rescue kitten named a "miracle kitten" by her veterinarians in 2019 and Freya, the cat of British politician [George Osborne](https://www.edgepedia.org/george-osborne)[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds) • [4](https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Summer2014.pdf).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin of the name | Freyja, Norse goddess of love, fertility, and war, depicted riding a chariot drawn by two cats[1](https://localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-cats/) |
| Day of the week | Friday is said to derive from Freya's day of worship[5](https://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/documents/Secondary_cats_in_the_classroom_2010.pdf) |
| Best-known rescue cat | Freya, a five-month-old tuxedo kitten who survived tail nerve damage in 2019 and was named a "miracle kitten" by her veterinary team[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds) |
| Political cat | Freya, the cat of George Osborne, was reported on British television news[4](https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Summer2014.pdf) |
| Breed link | The Norwegian Forest Cat breed standard notes that Freya is said to have ridden in a chariot drawn by two such cats[6](https://catzinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/CatzInc-Standards-of-Excellence-2012.pdf) |
## Why the name is used for cats
In [Norse mythology](https://www.edgepedia.org/norse-mythology), Freya, the goddess of love and fertility, rode a chariot drawn by two great cats[1](https://localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-cats/). The Swedish History Museum describes her as a goddess of fertility and war and illustrates her with two cats[2](https://historiska.se/en/explore-history/history-hub/freyja-goddess-of-fertility-and-war/). Because of this association, the name has long been a natural choice for cats, and the Norwegian Forest Cat breed in particular claims the connection: breed standards and the Cat Fanciers' Association both note that the goddess was said to travel in a feline-drawn chariot[6](https://catzinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/CatzInc-Standards-of-Excellence-2012.pdf) • [7](https://cfa.org/cat-talk/what-you-dont-know-about-norwegian-forest-cats/).
## The "miracle kitten" of 2019
The most fully documented individual cat named Freya is a British rescue kitten cared for by volunteers from Cats Protection's Blackheath & Deptford Branch. She arrived in their care with a fractured tail and was rushed to John Hankinson Veterinary Clinic, where she was diagnosed with serious nerve damage to the tail area from a suspected car accident, leaving her unable to empty her bladder or bowels[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds).
The prognosis for this condition can be fatal, but a few days later she began to improve and was able to use the litter tray on her own; the veterinary team named her a "miracle kitten" for defying the odds. Because she still had no sensation below the injury, her tail was amputated[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds). The branch raised funds for her treatment through a Just Giving appeal and exceeded its target[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds).
Once fully recovered, Freya was adopted by a couple named Ali and Nick, who met her while collecting the ashes of their previous cat, Charlie. Like Charlie, Freya is a black-and-white "tuxedo cat"[3](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds).
## Other cats named Freya
Freya was also the name of the cat belonging to George Osborne, the British politician; a London charity newsletter noted that her television news appearance showed what it called her feline canniness[4](https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Summer2014.pdf).
Shelter records document many others. A Freya at the BC SPCA's Shuswap Community Animal Centre in [British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-columbia) was found as a pregnant stray on July 2, 2020, gave birth to four kittens in foster care, and was adopted on September 20, 2020[8](https://spca.bc.ca/adoption_stories/freya-2/). A Freya at the RAPS Cat Sanctuary in [Richmond, British Columbia](https://www.edgepedia.org/richmond-british-columbia), was initially surrendered for aggression but became an affectionate, confident cat known for greeting visitors at the gate[9](https://catsanctuary.ca/cats/front-courtyard-tabbies/). In 2026, the Asheville Humane Society in North Carolina publicized a long-haired Freya who arrived with deep wounds, was shaved and fitted with a protective cone during treatment, and was adopted after several weeks of healing[10](https://www.ashevillehumane.org/news-blog/the-majesty-and-mystery-of-freya/).
## References
1. [A Brief History of Cats, Local Histories](https://localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-cats/)
2. [Freyja – goddess of fertility and war, Swedish History Museum](https://historiska.se/en/explore-history/history-hub/freyja-goddess-of-fertility-and-war/)
3. [Freya the 'miracle kitten' survives all odds, Cats Protection](https://www.cats.org.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/freya-the-miracle-kitten-survives-all-odds)
4. [The Manna Society Newsletter, Summer 2014](https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Summer2014.pdf)
5. [Cats in history: Pupil sheet, Cats Protection classroom resource](https://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/documents/Secondary_cats_in_the_classroom_2010.pdf)
6. [Catz Inc. Standards of Excellence 2012, Norwegian Forest Cat](https://catzinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/CatzInc-Standards-of-Excellence-2012.pdf)
7. [What You Don't Know About...Norwegian Forest Cats, Cat Fanciers' Association](https://cfa.org/cat-talk/what-you-dont-know-about-norwegian-forest-cats/)
8. [Freya, BC SPCA adoption story](https://spca.bc.ca/adoption_stories/freya-2/)
9. [Front Courtyard Tabbies, RAPS Cat Sanctuary](https://catsanctuary.ca/cats/front-courtyard-tabbies/)
10. [The majesty and mystery of Freya, Asheville Humane Society](https://www.ashevillehumane.org/news-blog/the-majesty-and-mystery-of-freya/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Animals*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license