Local celebrity cat has meet-and-greet at shelter event

Fall temperatures set in Friday along with a dreary drizzle, but that didn’t stop people from leaving their houses to crowd into the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter to be face-to-face with a celebrity cat.

Lil Bub, a local cat with international fame, came to greet her fans to start the final weekend of the shelter’s adopt-a-thon efforts for the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge.

Through Wednesday, for the Howl-O-Ween Adopt-a-thon, dogs and puppies cost $20, and cats and kittens are free.

If Bloomington Animal Care and Control saves 300 more lives than usual by the end of October, the department is eligible for awards for the challenge, including a $25,000 Community Engagement Award.

While Shelter Manager Virgil Sauder has lost track of the number adopted, given the huge push, he estimated about 80 more animals need to be adopted or returned to owners to complete the challenge.

“It’s still going to be a struggle, but it’s obtainable,” Sauder said.    

Hannah Duncan, a student at Ivy Tech Community College wearing an orange shirt with a cartoon-version Bub and dubbed the “Bub-biggest fan” by a friend, was in line to meet the famous feline a second time.

“She’s much smaller than I thought she would be,” Duncan said. “I will forever love her.”
Bub, who was adopted from a feral litter, was born with dwarfism and is a “perma-kitten” with extra toes, no teeth and a long body. She gained fame through her Tumblr.
“She’s really healthy,” said Bub’s owner, Mike Bridavsky of Russian Recording. “She just has standard cat problems.”

While Bub might have trouble with arthritis later in life, Bridavsky gives her preventative medicine and said she’s doing well.

Bridavsky said he never planned for Bub to become famous, but he hopes to use the attention she garners positively.

“Pretty much every other animal celebrity is a purebreed — Maru’s a Scottish Fold,” Bridavsky noted. “But you don’t have to pay top dollar to have an amazing, top-notch, unique animal.”

Thus, he teamed with the animal shelter to promote adoption, spaying and neutering.
Part of the proceeds from Lil Bub merchandise sold during her meet and greet went to the shelter, as well.

Bridavsky’s other cats live at Russian Recording, and he adopted another cat during the $100K Challenge a few weeks ago in hopes that Bub will have a friend at home.

Since the new family member has a front leg that’s not fully developed and has only one toe, Bridavsky named her Nub.

To support the animal shelter, people can vote daily for Animal Care and Control to win the $25,000 Community Engagement Award here.
 
“Regardless of if we hit (our adoption goal), and I think we can do it, it’s been great seeing the community involvement,” Sauder said. “It’s a win no matter what happens.”