Yesterday, Philadelphia’s Morris Animal Refuge posted photos of a big cat. A really big cat. It went viral.
As it so happens, I live pretty close to Morris Animal Refuge. It’s a Friday in August. Surely I could sell this as content in order to meet the big cat. I got the okay from Barry. I had already set up a meet-and-greet with the cat before I even told him the idea, but it was nice to get the reassurance.
Mr. B, a two-year-old, 28-pounder who was surrendered by someone who couldn’t take care of him anymore, is not really a fat cat. It’s just a huge cat. It’s only a little overweight, per the shelter. He got so much attention on the internet yesterday that Morris Animal Refuge’s website crashed like it was Twitter after Peyton Manning’s Super Bowl interception. (The website now just redirects to the shelter’s Facebook page.)
Emmy Homan, Morris’s development director, wasn’t supposed to be in today. But due to all the attention the chonky cat’s getting, she came in anyway. When I arrived, she was just getting off the phone with someone from ABC. When we were wrapping up, someone from the local affiliate was setting up a camera. The cat has already been on the Philly CBS station. And on Fox 29’s Good Day Philadelphia this morning, where he tried to make a “run” for it and hid under the couch on set. Do you have a couch? Clearly, this cat will fit in at your place.
I have to say, meeting the 28-pound cat exceeded my expectations. He was cute and shy but still friendly enough, and he was huge. He is definitely already one of Philadelphia’s top 10 celebrities. I am excited to learn of his further adventures.
Morris is going to wait through the weekend until adopting this cat out, due to the volume of submissions. Let’s hope whoever gets him is active on Instagram.