Wellington's World-famous Cat

His name is Mittens.  And it seems that he is a Turkish Angora -- a fine breed, seemingly, because it has given him the charisma of a king.

He lives on the Terrace in Wellington, and so do I, so it's not surprising that I have seen him a few times, but without knowing, then, that he was a Famous Cat.

Not only does he have his own Wikipedia entry, but he has his own Facebook page, called "The Wondrous Adventures of Mittens," with 30K+ members.

And how does he earn all this publicity?  With insatiable curiosity, and a most unusual self-confidence.  Not only does he wait for the green light before crossing streets, but he is perfectly capable of jumping into an elevator.  Thus, he is seen all over downtown, from churches to strip clubs, and everything in between.  He gives free publicity in the course of his wandering, various firms boasting that he has paid a visit to their premises.  It even works if he simply sits down!

He sat on one of our boxes, proudly posted Pomodoro Neapolitan Pizza, who promptly put the box up for auction.

Mittens is a regular visitor to our pizzeria. His last visit included his endorsement of our pizza by his sitting proudly on top of this pizza box. This auction includes this special pizza box, plus two pizzas of your choice! ALL proceeds will be donated in Mittens name, to the Wellington Cats Protection League.

And after a spell of energetic bidding, the auction was closed, with $101 headed for the charity.

There are stacks of photos of Mittens all over the internet.  "There's a Group of People In New Zealand Who Take Photos of a Local Cat whenever they Meet Him," headlines boredpanda.com, and supplies 45 samples of photos posted.

I found out that Mitten was a celebrity when he starred in the Guardian newspaper.  

"A feline that roams New Zealand’s capital city and is welcomed into tattoo parlours, hairdressers and office towers has become a social media star, with 30,000 followers who track his every movement online," the item begins. 

"Mittens first came to attention in 2018 after repeatedly wandering inner-city dwellings, including the university, the post office, and a Catholic church. Mittens was also reportedly taken to the police station by concerned locals.After repeated encounters with Mittens, an SPCA employee started a Facebook page to reassure locals that the cat wasn’t lost and didn’t need to be “rescued” – he was just adventurous."

And people whose apartments he visits feel honored -- particularly if he takes a rest on their bed.

And he has featured on radio, too.  "If you're having a bite to eat on Wellington's Cuba St, attending a class at Victoria University, or even getting a haircut in the central city, you might just meet the capital's fluffiest celebrity," the blurb begins.

"Mittens the cat is making waves on social media due to his tendency to roam the city and invite himself into restaurants, shops, and other people's flats.

"Mittens' owner Silvio Bruinsma joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss what he thinks of the adventures of his celebrity cat!"