From rescue cat cafes to Youtube channels dedicated to kitten care, the world is full of people doing amazing things in animal welfare. Today, we wanted to give a shout-out to those that are spreading the love for felines through their work and teaching the world to care about animals. 

We have put together a short list with five individuals that have achieved fame through their work helping cats and that are acting as role models for the new generations. Without further ado, here are our top five people inspiring the world by helping cats:

Dean and Nala

We begin our list with Dean Nicholson and his inseparable companion, a tabby cat named Nala. How did these two meet? Dean is on an epic cycling journey around the world. About two years ago, while in Bosnia, a tiny furball appeared in the middle of the road, meowing incessantly for help. Dean decided he could not leave the defenseless animal to fend for herself, so he put her in his basket and smuggled her into Montenegro. 

Fast forward two years and Nala has become a social media sensation. They have over 800,000 followers on Instagram (@1bike1world), and 150,000 subscribers on YouTube. Dean has also written a book, Nala’s World, in which he details their adventures, like the time they stumbled upon a refugee camp in Greece. Dean and Nala are still traveling and inspiring thousands to explore the world and be kind to animals. They have plans to make it to Russia in the Spring.

Sarper Duman

Our next entry is a pianist with a knack for helping cats in need. Sarper Duman is famous worldwide for serenading cats. In his videos, which have captivated millions around the world, we get to see cats dozing off on the piano keys, lounging around, or listening intently to the melody.

Sarper’s love story with cats began about 10 years ago. While struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, he wandered off to a park and sat on a bench. A cat crawled on his lap. He knew that the cat needed help; he realized that he could use some too. Now, Sarper is an Internet sensation with over a million followers on his Instagram account. He takes care of 19 cats in his house, and covers food and medical bills for many other cats around the neighborhood with the funds he earns through his Patreon account (he has 2,502 patrons, contributing a whopping $17,759 a month!)

Jack’s Cat Cafe

This entry hits closer to home than any. Jack’s Cat Cafe, located in Hoi An, Vietnam, is not just an amazing space to cuddle rescue animals; as the first cat cafe in Central Vietnam, they were also visionary pioneers. They were a huge inspiration for Ministry of Cat, proving that the rescue-cat-cafe model could be sustainable. 

So, what’s Jack’s Cat Cafe? Jack’s Cat Cafe is an establishment that hosts over 60 rescue cats, and that, together with her sister organization Vietnam Cat Welfare, is a leading force in Vietnam’s animal welfare sector. Their work is far from limited to rescuing cats. They focus heavily on educating people, instilling a love for all animals, and, crucially, ending the monstrous practice that is the cat and dog meat trade. The people behind this inspiring place are Emma and Phong. To both of you: thanks for inspiring others, like us at Ministry of Cat, to start our own initiatives to help animals. 

James Anthony Bowen

James Anthony Bowen’s journey took him from homeless drug addict to best-selling author, and it was all thanks to a ginger cat named Bob. As a young man, James was destitute and had a serious drug problem. He wandered the streets of London during the day, sleeping in shelters at night. The troubled young man earned a meager income by begging and busking in the streets.

In 2007, while living in supported housing, he noticed a ginger cat hanging around the hallway of his building. The cat was in poor health so James took care of him. The duo eventually became inseparable and Bob soon started accompanying James when he went busking. People started noticing the pair and uploading videos on Youtube. Pretty soon, they became a tourist attraction in their own right. 

With Bob’s company and support, James managed to beat his drug addiction and steered his life in the right direction. He has written several best-sellers about his life with Bob, and two successful movies based on those books have followed. Sadly, Bob the Cat passed away in 2020.

Kitten Lady

Hannah Shaw, known as the Kitten Lady, is a social media star, animal welfare advocate, and best-selling author. She has amassed a huge following on Youtube and other platforms with her instructional videos on kitten care. Her work also involves fostering kittens that would normally be euthanized due to shelters’ lack of resources. Her ultimate goal is always to find a forever home for these animals.

Hannah is a huge Internet celebrity and her advocacy work has earned her multiple honors. She was named Cat Advocate of the Year by ASPCA in 2019 and has been featured in People Magazine and Cosmopolitan. Her non-profit Orphan Kitten Club runs a neonatal kitten nursery and a grant program that funds innovation in kitten welfare.

These are just a few of the many people making a difference in the feline welfare sector. Other people that deserve equal praise for their work are cat expert Jackson Galaxy; cat cafe founder Kanchan; Mike Bridavsky, the owner of Lil Bub; Jay Stowe, the owner of Hamilton the Hipster Cat; and Chris Poole, owner of Cole and Marmalade. All of them, and many others, are having a huge impact on the lives of animals around the world with fun, quirky, yet effective initiatives and projects.