After twelve years of living on the summit of Mount Washington, Marty the Cat has passed on. Marty was beloved by Mount Washington Observatory staff, Mount Washington State Park staff, and thousands of visitors from around the world.
“It is with an incredibly heavy heart that we have to share the news of Marty’s passing due to an unforeseen illness. As a past observer who lived on the summit for four years, I can tell you Marty was a special companion, entertainer and so incredibly loved by observers and state park staff and will be sadly missed.”
– Summit Operations Manager Rebecca Scholand
Marty was adopted from the North Conway Area Humane Society and moved to the summit of Mount Washington in January of 2008. MWObs had recently shared the news in its Windswept periodical that Marty would retire from the mountain early in 2021.
“We would like to extend a special thank you to the Conway Veterinary Hospital who has cared for Marty over the years and to Dr. Kate Battenfelder and Vet Technician Leah Perez of True North Veterinary Hospital who assisted us with this emergency over the weekend.”
– Rebecca Scholand
MWObs staff have had the comfort of a feline presence on the summit of Mount Washington since its founding in 1932. Plans are already underway to identify Marty’s successor due to his planned retirement in early 2021. The summit feline tradition will continue.
Mount Washington Observatory is a private, nonprofit, member-supported institution whose mission is to advance understanding of the natural systems that create the Earth’s weather and climate. Since 1932, the Observatory has been monitoring the elements from its weather station on the summit of Mount Washington, using this unique site for scientific research and educational outreach.
