💚The Tailed Keepers of the Hermitage. In 1745, Empress Elizabeth Petrovna ordered that cats be brought to the royal palaces to catch rats and mice. By her decree, 30 of the best and largest cats were delivered from Kazan to St. Petersburg. Today, about fifty cats live in the Hermitage. They patrol the basements and prevent rodents from destroying the collections. You can learn how this tailed service works from our video and the episode 'Sasha Meets Russia: Flavours of the East.' FOLLOW 🥰 News&Docfilms Channel