Ben Madilynn
Jenna Bush Hager’s heart is hurting for her 11-year-old daughter, Mila.
While chatting with Hoda Kotb on Oct. 2, Jenna shared the “heartbreaking” news that Mila’s beloved cat, Hollywood, went missing over the summer. According to Jenna, Hollywood, or Holly for short, slipped out the family’s front door when they were hosting a kids’ birthday party.
“It was kind of my fault,” Jenna told Hoda, noting that she has struggled with feelings of guilt.
“(Mila) loved that cat … She walked around cradling that cat,” Jenna said.
After Hollywood escaped, a devastated Mila spent three nights in her mom’s bed. During their sleepovers, Jenna said they bonded in a whole new way and had “beautiful” conversations about life, love, pain and loss.
Jenna noted that over the last few months, she and her husband, Henry Hager, have “done everything” to find Hollywood. Now, they are ready to make space for another pet.
“On Sunday we went and met a little baby kitty, which Mila is going to be adopting,” Jenna announced. “So we’re going to have a new member of our household, and hopefully Holly will come smell that little kitty and be like, ‘Who’s getting in there with my parents!?’
Hoda recalled how after Hollywood disappeared, Jenna would come to work in tears.
“Sometimes right before we went on (air), you were crying, not just about the loss of your cat, but about Mila,” Hoda said.
Jenna explained that Mila, who uses a computer at school, would send her heartbreaking messages like, “Mommy, I miss her so much.”
The new cat has been a bright spot for the whole family, especially Mila, who is counting down the days until the adoption is finalized.
“(Mila) said to me, ‘I haven’t stopped thinking about her all day,” Jenna said.
Earlier this year, Mila’s sister Poppy got a kitten named Mango.
“Introducing the newest member of the Hager fam … Mango! Poppy’s new kitten! And he’s already best friends with his sister Hollywood,” Jenna captioned an Instagram post in January.
Fingers crossed that Mango embraces his new furry friend!
CORRECTION (Oct. 3, 2024, 10:25 am ET): An earlier version of this article misstated the name of Jenna Bush Hager’s husband. His name is Henry Hager.
