Cats and Cat People of the Year
These cats and cat-loving humans made the world better place in 2018!
Mick Szydlowski – Special Needs Advocate, Dad of Klaus and Juno
Mick and Klaus, courtesy Mick Szydlowski
Photo of Klaus and Juno courtesy @theklauscat/Instagram
Klaus and Juno and their human Mick Szydlowski are dedicated to educating the world about adopting special needs cats. Klaus’ brother, Oskar the Blind Cat, passed away suddenly on February 5 of this year, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy of kindness and acceptance. This awesome team continues to work closely with the National Federation of the Blind and CASIS (the International Space Station’s “Center for Advancement of Science in Space”) to use Oskar’s inspirational message to encourage blind and visually-impaired children to pursue their goals, especially in science and space careers!
Shelly Roche – TinyKittens
Courtesy Aldergrove Star
TinyKittens live stream of Rescue Kitten TV has not only helped raise awareness of the vulnerable foster kitten population, it’s also turned a spotlight on the feral population that the TinyKittens non-profit helps as well. The impact of founder Shelly Roche’s good work is felt worldwide, from creating spay/neuter advocates to tracking and caring for feral colonies, to educating even the youngest cat lovers about the needs of our beloved feline companions.
Sterling “Trap King” Davis
Courtesy Sterling Davis
Sterling’s mission to humanely address the problem of overpopulation and disease in feral cat colonies started in Atlanta, GA but quickly grew. He’s been traveling the U.S. helping to spread the word about abused and voiceless animals in need, and his tireless work helping to control feral populations with TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) education has truly earned him the title “The Trap King”!
Shon Griffin – Superhero to Homeless Cats
Courtesy Red Rover
At 7 years old, Shon Griffin of Philadelphia may be the youngest Pet Hero ever! Dressed as his favorite superheroes, Shon feeds and cares for the homeless cats in his community on behalf of his aunts’ charity Kolony Kats. Armed with his “Superhero Scratch”, he’s charmed cats in need of neutering and other healthcare, and is living up to his motto: “Be kind to cats.”
Mohammed Alaa al-Jaleel – The Cat Man of Aleppo
Courtesy @theAleppoCatman/Twitter
In war-torn Syria, Mohammed Alaa al-Jaleel managed to find the space and resources to create a cat sanctuary, saving hundreds of cats. Nicknamed The Cat Man of Aleppo, he established Ernesto’s Sanctuary, which has also helped save dogs, a horse, and even four monkeys! It now also serves as a place where child refugees and orphans can receive much-needed pet therapy from these special animals.
Xeli – Airport Therapy Cat
Courtesy Fly Denver
Airport travel is stressful at the best of times, and if you have a fear of flying it’s even worse. Enter Xeli the therapy cat. Xeli is the sole feline member of the Denver Airport’s Canine Airport Therapy Squad (aka CATS!), helping weary and stressed travelers find their kitty happy place. Every airport needs a Xeli!
Sir Thomas Trueheart
Courtesy CatCon
Sir Tommy and the kind folks at Milo’s Sanctuary are leading the charge against online bullying with Tommy Cruelty Free Thursdays, spreading the word about how to live a cruelty-free life in words as well as deeds.
Mick, Klaus, Juno, Shelly, Sterling, and Sir Thomas will be joining us at CatCon, Saturday, June 29th – Sunday, June 30th, 2019 at the Pasadena Convention Center, in Pasadena, CA