# Capitol's beloved Cameron the cat retires from his post  
**Published:** 2026-05-19T20:17:31.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/19/nebraskas-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/capitol-s-beloved-cameron-the-cat-retires-from-his-post

LINCOLN, Neb. — [Cameron the Capitol Cat, a beloved fixture at the Nebraska State Capitol, has left his post](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/19/nebraskas-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/) and moved to a new home with his caretaker, Diana McGinnis. The 10-year-old feline will not return to the Capitol for the legislative session in January.

[McGinnis adopted Cameron from the Capital Humane Society in 2015 when he was just a kitten](https://www.nebraskanewsservice.net/news/from-stray-to-star-cameron-the-cat-s-journey-to-becoming-the-nebraska-state-capitol/article_cab528b8-00c1-11ef-af58-f3b4aacf5667.html). Since then, the dark brown tabby became an unofficial mascot of the Legislature, spending his days greeting visitors and lawmakers at the Capitol's south and west entrances. For years, Cameron maintained a strict routine, rising early each morning and wandering from his nearby condo to the statehouse.

The move came after McGinnis received a late-stage cancer diagnosis in late March. "She can't be independent anymore, and it's very upsetting to her," said Marilyn Kruger, McGinnis's younger sister. Cameron is now living with McGinnis at an assisted-living facility, where he has taken to wandering the halls to meet new residents and visitors.

Cameron's tenure at the Capitol was not without incident. Over the years, he was "catnapped" by well-meaning strangers at least three times, with people mistaking him for a stray cat. Capitol Security fielded numerous calls from fans checking on his whereabouts. Despite these occasional disruptions, lawmakers and staff welcomed Cameron warmly, ensuring he was well fed and photographed with visitors from around the world, [including Gov. Jim Pillen](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/19/nebraskas-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/).

"He may become Cameron the assisted-living facility cat," Kruger said, noting that her sister's primary concern remains Cameron's welfare. McGinnis has expressed her hope that Cameron's former constituents will remember his years of service. She hopes one day a statue will be erected at the Capitol to commemorate his legacy.

Should Cameron outlive McGinnis, he will live with her other sister in southeast Nebraska.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/19/nebraskas-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/)
- [Nebraska News Service article on Cameron's background and adoption](https://www.nebraskanewsservice.net/news/from-stray-to-star-cameron-the-cat-s-journey-to-becoming-the-nebraska-state-capitol/article_cab528b8-00c1-11ef-af58-f3b4aacf5667.html)
- [Nebraska Public Media article on Cameron's departure](https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/cameron-the-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/19/nebraskas-capitol-cat-bids-farewell-to-constituents-retreats-to-private-life/.