An Asian wild cat and his Indian trainer in 18th-century London

In October 1759, the London Magazine carried a story about an Asian wild cat arriving with his Indian trainer at the Tower of London, all the way from the palace of the Nawab (Prince) of Bengal in India.

The story of the cat – known as ‘the Shah Goest’, and his trainer, Abdullah must have interested the magazine’s readers, for two months later the editors provided a lengthy update in the December issue of the London Magazine, together with a drawing or etching of the cat and his trainer.

The anecdote of the wild cat at the Tower of London fed the popular taste for novelties from around the world and gossip about the royal household at home. Curator of Inclusive History, Dr Mishka Sinha, picks up the tale of the Shah Goest, kept in the Royal Menagerie within the confines of the Tower.

The animal was in fact a caracal, a medium-sized wild cat found in Africa and parts of Asia. The English name given to it, ‘the Shah Goest’ was probably based on a mishearing of Siyagosh – which means Black-Eared in Persian. Siyagosh was the name used in India for the caracal.

The London Magazine had described it in loving detail: 'About 18 inches high, of the cat kind, but the legs and feet stronger in proportion to the body, being very large and broad with strong talons; the head somewhat resembles a hare, with long fine ears extremely black. He has a very lively eye… the body is the colour of the deer but the belly and breast are white... In short it is an extremely beautiful beast.'

Typically - a shy, scarce animal, the caracal was rarely seen by humans, and therefore much prized when caught. Exotic animals were an especially prized commodity in a time when collecting and displaying outlandish, strange and unusual living and non-living things allowed rich people to show off their wealth, and allowed European rulers to display imperial power and status – a kind of historical bling.

The Siyagosh came to England accompanied by Abdullah, his Indian trainer who looked after the fierce but delicate animal on the long voyage from India to England. At this time there was little knowledge of exotic animals, and many who were brought to the Royal Menagerie quickly died from the lack of proper care and food. Abdullah was sent to instruct the keepers in London in the knowledge and skills needed to keep the Siyagosh happy and alive in its cold and unfamiliar new home. He was just one in a long line of experts with unique skills in looking after animals unknown in Britain.

But why were Abdullah and the Siyagosh sent on this expensive and arduous journey all the way from Bengal to London?

In 1756 the East India Company and its allies under Robert Clive had defeated the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daula’s forces in battle and removed him from power. In his place they installed a puppet ruler, Mir Jafar, who was willing to serve the Company’s interests and plumb the resources of his rich province, to pander to Robert Clive’s notoriously voracious demands.

The traditional route for making diplomatic connections was by sending gifts, and Mir Jafar had already handed out lavish presents of jewels, perfumes, clothes and weapons to establish a strong relationship with his new British masters. But now the Nawab offered something even rarer and more valuable: a Siyagosh.