Last Updated on 25 January 2026 by Vanessa
Leiden sits in the west of the Netherlands, about 35 kilometers southwest of Amsterdam and 20 kilometers from The Hague. It’s a lively city with a strong academic heart and one of Europe’s key centers for scientific research. Like Amsterdam, Leiden has deep roots in history, with narrow streets, old buildings, and canals that shape daily life.
Over the years, Leiden has been home to famous names such as Carice van Houten (Melisandre in Game of Thrones), Albert Einstein, and Rembrandt. Yet the city’s most talked-about resident isn’t a scientist or an artist. It’s a cat.
The celebrity cat of Leiden: the true story of Buurtpoes Bledder
This is a guest post by Marjolein Goes
Jacco, also known as Buurtpoes Bledder, is a black-and-white tuxedo cat, and he has become quite a familiar face around the city of Leiden. He often wanders the streets near the Nieuwe Rijn, stopping to greet locals along the way.
How Jacco became a feline celebrity
In the spring of 2012, Jacco lived with a resident of a student house in Leiden. Once he could go outside, he instantly started exploring, especially the Nieuwe Rijn area. He was clearly more interested in people than in staying home.
Jacco gravitated toward cafés, shops, bars, and offices in the historic center. He became a regular at places like Café van Jantje, jazz café De Twee Spieghels, record store Velvet, and beer shop De Bierwinkel. Staff and customers quickly got used to seeing him stroll in and make himself comfortable.
When he wasn’t napping in shop windows, Jacco lounged on benches or soaked up attention from anyone who passed by.
Not everyone loved his visits, but many shop owners and customers did. They began sharing photos and stories of Jacco on Facebook, and that’s how his local fame took off.
Even though he had a home, neighbors still left out food and water for him.
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Nicknames
As Jacco kept showing up around town, people started giving him nicknames. Clerks, café owners, neighbors, and regulars all had their own. Some called him Danger Cat. Others went with Chardonnay, Prinsje, Roof Cat, or Sweetheart.
In September 2012, a clerk at record store Velvet set up a Facebook fan page for the mystery cat. At the time, no one knew his real name or where he lived, so the clerk named him Buurtpoes Bledder. The name stuck and soon became the one everyone used.
“Buurtpoes” means “neighborhood cat” in Dutch. In December 2013, Leidsch Dagblad even named it Word of the Year. “Bledder” has a few meanings, but the clerk chose it because of Jacco’s black-and-white fur, which reminded them of a soccer ball.
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Literary star
Jacco’s fame didn’t stop on the streets either. He later appeared in a children’s book called Buurtpoes Bledder by author Eline Rottier. The book follows his adventures around Leiden and quickly became a favorite with local children.
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Troublemaker
Jacco’s curiosity often got him into trouble.
One afternoon, he ended up in a canal and needed help from a passerby armed who happened to have a field hockey stick.
He also liked sneaking out of a top-floor window at the student house and running along the rain gutter. In the autumn of 2012, that habit nearly went wrong. The window shut behind him while his owners were away for the weekend. Jacco spent the night outside in a heavy thunderstorm. The next morning, neighbors heard his cries and called the Leiden fire department, which brought him safely down.
In January 2013, Jacco vanished. People worried, rumors spread, and weeks passed with no sign of him. Then the story took a turn. A couple living a few blocks away had taken him in, thinking he was a stray. They had no idea who he was until a friend mentioned his Facebook page. Once they realized, they returned him to his owners.
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RIP Jacco
Unfortunately, Jacco passed away after being hit by a car near his home in Leiden. The news hit the city hard. Locals placed a small memorial outside Café van Jantje, and media outlets like Leidsch Dagblad, De Telegraaf, and SBS6 covered the story. His Facebook page filled with messages from people saying goodbye.
After his death, people debated what should happen to Jacco’s remains. Some suggested putting him on display at Café van Jantje.
In the end, his owners kept his remains at their home on Hartesteeg, with a temporary appearance at record store Velvet on the fifth anniversary of his passing.
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