The Magic Key Terrace at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, CA on Wednesday, September 1, 2021. Featuring photo spots, characters, seating, phone charges and exclusive merchandise, the lounge is for Magic Key holders only and is Open until October 30. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Record/SCNG)
A Disneyland feral cat who hunted mice and rats at night and hung out with annual pass holders at a members-only club by day has died after years as a fan-favorite feline with thousands of online followers. social.
Nutmeg, the feral cat who patrolled Disney California Adventure for rodents and visited die-hard Disneylanders on Magic Key Terrace, has died, according to WDW News Today.
“Nutmeg was one of the wild cats at the Disneyland Resort, tasked with keeping the rat population down around the parks and ensuring that the only rodents guests see are Mickey and Minnie Mouse,” according to WDW Today’s News. “Nutmeg roamed the park quite often, but he had an affinity for the Magic Key Terrace lounge at Disney California Adventure.”
Nutmeg the Magic Key Terrace Cat Passes Away at Disney California Adventurehttps://t.co/whWGQ9PVXR
— Disneyland News Today (@dlnt) May 7, 2023
The legend of nutmeg grew when the Magic Key Terrace drink masters named a Secret Menu Cocktail in honor of the cat and Walt Disney Imagineering drew design inspiration of Nutmeg and other wild cats for the annual pass holders hideaway.
The Magic Key Terrace secret menu drink was made for the “in the crowd” pass holder who knows and loves Nutmeg, according to Disney California Adventure Culinary Director Jeremiah Balogh.
“We have a lot of friends who like to visit us and some of them are four-legged friends,” Balogh told the Southern California News Group in 2021. “We have a resident cat that will come visit guests and cast members whenever they he or she feels lonely.”
The Nutmeg cocktail is made with Myers dark rum, Bailey’s Irish cream, Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, and apricot liqueur.
“This is definitely a dessert drink,” according to the Disney Food Blog. “Whether you’re a rum fan, dessert cocktail fanatic, or secret menu hunter, it might be worth a try. Especially if you love Disneyland cats.”
Imagineering had custom Mexican tiles made with cat designs lining the terrace columns interspersed with other decorative tiles for a 2022 makeover of Magic Key Terrace.
SEE ALSO: Inside Disneyland’s mouse kingdom is a hidden world of cats
Nutmeg was a friendly cat who often came down from Grizzly Peak to interact with the diners and drinkers at the outdoor patio bar.
Nutmeg belonged to a mostly hidden colony of feral cats that hunt rats at Anaheim theme parks. Well-fed cats make rare daytime appearances in parks, but are out for the night shift.
Disneyland offers feeding, neutering and medical care stations for the wild cats who provide an invaluable service, even if their mere presence can make Mickey and Minnie a little nervous.
The Cats of Disneyland have legions of fans with 112,000 followers on Instagram and 17,000 more on Twitter.