Not exactly 'Für Elise,' but cat does give paws

Philadelphia Inquirer, The, February, 2007 by Amanda Rittenhouse

From rags to ragtime.

A Philadelphia feline and former stray is tickling the ivories and hearts of YouTube viewers around the world. The video, listed on www.youtube.com as "Nora, the Piano-Playing Cat," has been viewed more than 600,000 times in three weeks.

The video has received 21 YouTube honors, including February's third-most-viewed pets and animals video.

Nora's owner, Betsy Alexander of Center City, who is new to the YouTube Web site, said that Nora plays the piano daily and capturing her performing on video was not difficult.

She said Nora, a 3-year-old gray bull's-eye tabby, began playing the piano at age 1. Nora doesn't play songs, just notes.

"When she first started, she played two notes at a time and then learned how to play one note at a time. She sometimes reaches up to the black ...