The calico known as Pizza Cat scans the landscape at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in this undated image. A base spokesman on July 24, 2025, refuted online rumors that the beloved cat is going to be euthanized or taken away. (379th Air Expeditionary Wing)
She’s weathered countless troop rotations, missile warnings and waves of social media speculation for nearly a decade at the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East, and she’s still right where troops expect her.
A stray calico affectionately known as Pizza Cat will continue to make her rounds at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, despite online rumors this week that sparked a flurry of concern from current and former service members.
“There are no plans, guidance or direction given to euthanize or remove ‘Pizza Cat’ from Al Udeid Air Base,” installation spokesman Capt. Trevor Wood said Friday in an email to Stars & Stripes. “Online posts asserting that 379th Air Expeditionary Wing leadership has intentions to take any such actions are rumors and do not have any validity.”
The green-eyed cat has roamed the installation since at least 2016 and earned her nickname for frequently lounging outside the base’s Pizza Hut, according to social media posts.
Though not allowed indoors under base policy, she has become a familiar and comforting presence for deployed personnel, many of whom consider her an unofficial mascot.
Base rules discourage the feeding of stray animals, but Pizza Cat reportedly survives on mice and other small prey.
News of a potential threat to her safety began circulating Thursday, when an anonymous post on the “People of the Deid” Facebook group claimed that she was slated to be euthanized due to a U.S. Central Command policy change.
A since-debunked Reddit post that same day that showed a cat in a cage-like trap drew more than 100 comments, including offers from veterans to adopt her and calls to involve animal rescue groups.
The uproar prompted a wave of photos, memes and tributes celebrating the calico, who has been documented on social media for nearly a decade. Some troops shared images of her lounging near dorms or greeting them outside base facilities.
Pizza Cat’s popularity appears to extend up the chain of command.
A photo posted online last year shows a novelty certificate promoting her to “meowster sergeant,” complete with a signature attributed to a former 379th AEW commander. The certificate reportedly hangs in the wing’s headquarters.
Despite her stray status, Pizza Cat appears to receive routine veterinary care. Her clipped left ear indicates that she’s been spayed, and she was last vaccinated in November 2024 by military working dog veterinarians assigned to the base, according to documents shared on Reddit.
