Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Lewis (cat)

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. Cunard's in-depth source analysis was given the most weight. Guerillero ^{Parlez Moi} 13:32, 23 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Lewis (cat)

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Fails WP:GNG, WP:1E: all citations focus on a single, transient event, and the subject has no lasting significance. This was a 3-day peoples' interest story that doesn't qualify for an encyclopedia article. SilverTiger12 (talk) 14:46, 15 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Animal-related deletion discussions. SilverTiger12 (talk) 14:46, 15 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep. The case was notable for the international attention it got for a cat being put on house arrest, along with the massive media furor. It was also reported on in this book. --DrBat (talk) 16:27, 15 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Delete: per WP:NOTNEWS. This was a passing minor thing with no lasting significance for the one event. Among the linked news articles, almost all are just reprints of the Associated Press piece, not actually that much independent reporting. There's lots of people whose unusual crimes are re-reported nationally, but being a cat still doesn't mean he needs his own article. Few, if any, of the other cats in the book linked above are notable either. Perhaps there's another article like Animal trial where he can be mentioned. Reywas92^Talk 17:05, 15 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Note: This discussion has been included in the list of Connecticut-related deletion discussions. Spiderone^{(Talk to Spider)} 18:46, 15 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Delete The seemingly large number of sources in the article are all covering the same story. No indication of any lasting notability. If this were notable, we would need coverage about other aspects of the cat's life. Trainsandotherthings (talk) 20:15, 16 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]
- Comment what about renaming the article to be about the case? --DrBat (talk) 02:46, 18 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]
Keep - Beyond the trial coverage, this is a historical event as it was the first time an animal had ever been put on house arrest. KatoKungLee (talk) 15:39, 17 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

Keep per the significant coverage in multiple independent reliable sources.
Analysis of the sources
Lewis received significant coverage in multiple books and a journal article. In 2006, Lewis received substantial coverage in numerous articles including in national and international sources like the Associated Press, The Guardian, and The New York Times. This satisfies Wikipedia:Notability (events)#Diversity of sources.
Lewis subsequently received significant coverage two years later in 2008. This satisfies Wikipedia:Notability (events)#Duration of coverage.
A rename to be about the event as suggested by DrBat can be discussed on the talk page.
Sources
1. Book and journal sources:
  1. Stall, Sam (2007). 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization: History's Most Influential Felines. Philadelphia: Quirk Books. pp. 75–78. ISBN 978-1-59474-163-0. Retrieved 2023-03-21 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "Just when things couldn't get any stranger, they did. The local newspapers broke the story, which quickly exploded into an international media sensation. Smelling a colorful human interest piece, press from around the world fell upon the juicy item like, well, Lewis going after an Avon lady. Overnight, Cisero, her embattled neighbors, and anyone else with the vaguest connection to the cat started fielding calls from everyone from CNN to Inside Edition to The Daily Show to the BBC. Lewis got his own page on myspace.com, and Save Lewis T-shirts hit the market shortly thereafter."
  2. Mouallem, Omar (2008). Amazing Cats: Stories of Intuition, Compassion, Mystery & Extraordinary Feats. Edmonton: Folklore Publishing. pp. 137–140. ISBN 978-1-894864-73-2. Retrieved 2023-03-21 – via Internet Archive.
    The book provides four pages of coverage about the subject. The book notes: "So, with Lewie under permanent house arrest and Ruth serving two years probation, a support group emerged. On the popular social networking website, My Space, a devoted Lewis lover set up a profile in support of the feline. Over 500 "Save Lewis" T-shirts were sold to raise money for Ruth's defense fund, and animal rights protesters wore the shirts to her and Lewie's trial. Best Friends, an animal sanctuary in Utah, offered to take Lewie in if he were sentenced to death. Ruth graciously declined. Lewie is a devoted pet, and she is a devoted pet owner. He belongs with her no matter the curfew or conditions."
  3. Javna, Gordon, ed. (2006). "Attack Cat? Is Lewis really dangerous, or is he just misunderstood?". Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Cat Lover's Companion. San Diego: Bathroom Readers' Institute. pp. 204–206. ISBN 978-1-59223-687-9. Retrieved 2023-03-21 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "In June 2006, the case went to trial, and due to all the attention Lewis was getting (even CNN profiled his story), the courtroom was packed. Animal lovers and animal rights activists traveled far and wide to show their support. Russ Mead from the Best Friends Animal Society, an animal sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, was there. Mead planned to file for custody of Lewis if the judge deemed the kitty too dangerous to remain in Connecticut. Rosemarie Gravis came all the way from Florida to show her support after reading a magazine article about Lewis."
  4. Owen, Cerys (2009). The Cat Lover's Pocket Bible: Everything you Need to Know about your Feline Friend. Richmond: Crimson Publishing. p. 161. ISBN 978-1-907087-05-9. Retrieved 2023-03-21 – via Internet Archive.
    The book notes: "In March 2006, Lewis, a cat from Fairfield, Connecticut, was put under house arrest. Several of the town's residents had accused Lewis of attacking them, without provocation. His owner, Ruth Cisero, was also arrested, but refused bail (on the condition that Lewis had to be put down). Cisero was tried, and received two years' probation. Lewis escaped death, but is only allowed out of the house to visit the vet in a cage."
  5. Conner, Travis; Rasmussen, Jeffrey Lee; Rajecki (2007). "Punish and Forgive: Causal Attribution and Positivity Bias in Response to Cat and Dog Misbehavior". Society & Animals. 15 (4): 326–327. doi:10.1163/156853007X235500. EBSCOhost 27363281. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
    The journal article provides three paragraphs of coverage about the subject. The article notes: "It is instructive to close with a related report about Lewis, a black-and-white Fairfield, Connecticut house cat. Lewis recently gained national attention having physically attacked several neighbor women and an Avon Lady. Local authorities charged Lewis’ caretaker—Ruth Cisero—with second degree reckless endangerment, initially offering her probation on the condition that Lewis be euthanized (Brophy, 2006; “Lewis,” 2006). Some bloggers and other commentators registered their disapproval of Lewis’ actions with statements such as “I’m from South Jersey, so I don’t take any crap from a cat,” and “If any pet that I did not know tried to use me as a chew toy, scratch post, etc . . . I feel I would set the world record for longest animal punt.” ... Hundreds of Save Lewis T-shirts were sold (“Save Lewis,” 2006), and an online, saveLewis petition drew over 3,400 signatures (Krujaik, 2006)."
2. 2008 news articles:
  1. "A much-reformed cat". The Herald-Times. Associated Press. 2008-07-06. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  2. Tepfer, Daniel (2008-07-03). "Final chapter of Lewis the Cat saga". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
3. 2006 news articles:
  1. Tuohy, Lynne (2006-06-20). "Now a jailbird, Lewis the Cat awaits his fate". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  2. Tuohy, Lynne (2006-06-21). "Nine Lives, Still Intact – Judge Spares Lewis and His Claws, but He Has To Stay Indoors". Hartford Courant. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  3. Salzman, Avi (2006-06-21). "Judge Spares at Least One of a Stalker's Nine Lives". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  4. Salzman, Avi (2006-06-20). "Judge Orders House Arrest for Lewis, the Attack Cat". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2021-06-10. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  5. ""Crazy Cat" owner opts for trial". The News-Times. 2006-05-03. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  6. Eaton-Robb, Pat (2006-06-21). "Judge: House arrest for tomcat of terror". Star–Banner. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  7. Burkeman, Oliver (2006-03-31). "House arrest for Lewis, the not-so-cool cat". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  8. "Lewis the cat wins reprieve". United Press International. 2006-06-20. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  9. "Dead Cat Walking?". People. Vol. 65, no. 23. 2006-06-12. p. 120. EBSCOhost 21023722.
  10. Robb, Pat Eaton (2006-06-25). "No escape claws for aggressive cat". Sunday Mail. EBSCOhost 200606251046511916.
  11. Tepfer, Daniel (2006-06-19). "Lewis offered Utah reprieve". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  12. Tepfer, Daniel (2006-05-24). "Fairfield woman hopes to save troublesome cat". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
  13. Brophy, Andrew (2006-03-30). "Nation obsessed with tale of the cat". Connecticut Post. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
There is sufficient coverage in reliable sources to allow Lewis to pass Wikipedia:Notability#General notability guideline, which requires "significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject".
Cunard (talk) 10:12, 21 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The problem is that while there is coverage, it is all focused on the single event, and it is, essentially, a human-interest story. It has no long-term significance or coverage. SilverTiger12 (talk) 22:23, 21 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

I agree that the sources are "all focused on the single event". My rationale for retention is that the event meets Wikipedia:Notability (events)#Diversity of sources and Wikipedia:Notability (events)#Duration of coverage through coverage in national and international sources, a journal article, and four books published over four years (2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009). The article can be renamed to be about the event as suggested by DrBat. A rename could be discussed on the talk page since it's unclear what the best title would be (possible titles are "Trial of Lewis", "Arrest of Lewis", or something else). Cunard (talk) 06:31, 22 March 2023 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.