Bush’s 18-year-old cat India. (AP)

Washington, Jan. 6 (AP): The first family leaving the White House this month will be without one of its longtime members: the Bush family’s 18-year-old cat has died.

The First Lady’s office said today that India, a black American shorthair cat, died yesterday at the White House. Bush’s daughter Barbara, then 9, had named the cat “India” after baseball player Ruben Sierra, whose nickname was “El Indio”. The family affectionately called the cat “Kitty”.