February 23, 2022

Street Cat to Cat Mayor


Street Cat to Cat Mayor
A photo that makes you want to say "Big yawn!” Pexels, Toni Tan

The Ukranian city Lviv now has two acting mayors: one an elected human official, the other a cat. Levchyk the cat, now living comfortably in the mayor's office, was once a stray cat living on the streets.

Levchyk was rescued out of a tree around City Hall during the fall of 2020. He was named after the Ukranian word "лев," which translates to "lion". The office of Mayor Andriy Sadovyi welcomed the cat with open arms, and even made him TikTok famous. 

Levchyk's TikTok, @lvivcitycat, receives hundreds of thousands of views on its videos. Videos show Levchyk meeting officials in the office such as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, the U.S Ambassador to Ukraine, and a Belgian delegation. At the same time, many videos show Levchyk doing what any normal cat does: playing and sleeping on the mayor's desk. 

The pampered cat also has an Instagram account, @lvivcitycat. His Instagram has collaborated with Lviv's vet clinic, which helps stray animals find "furever" homes. 

You Might Also Like

Putin's Pooches
  • October 07, 2021

Putin's Pooches

On this, Vladimir Putin's 69th birthday, we are reminded that even authoritarian leaders are softies for good dogs. Maybe especially so?
Battle of the Zoo Mascots
  • February 11, 2022

Battle of the Zoo Mascots

A Siberian zoo's mascot competition has ended in fraudulent activity, anger, and political outrage. 
A Cat Lady with a Cause
  • February 08, 2022

A Cat Lady with a Cause

Hundreds of kitties need homes in Novosibirsk – and this lady bought them one.
Top Dogs
  • January 10, 2022

Top Dogs

The Russian Cynological Society announced Russians' favorite dog breeds for 2021.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Samovar Murders

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955