Mittens has a tendency to roam, his owner says. Photo / Supplied
Mittens has a tendency to roam, his owner says. Photo / Supplied
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.
Mittens the cat is making waves on social media due to his tendency to roam thecity and invite himself into restaurants, shops, and other people's flats.
But the 8-year-old Turkish angora's owner, Silvio Bruinsma, wants to remind people Mittens is well cared for and doesn't need help or food, he's just a cat who gets around.
Mittens (right) relaxes with his brother, Latte. Photo / Supplied
"He's been a roamer all his life," said Bruinsma, who lives on the Terrace with his wife and Mittens' brother, Latte.
The couple used to live in Auckland, where Mittens would often wander, making his way to the local New World, prowling through retirement villages, and perusing the produce at the fresh grocer's market.
Now they live in the middle of the city, Mittens' usual haunts have changed a bit.
Mittens invites himself into a salon. Photo / Facebook
"There was a rock bar somewhere on Cuba St and he had been sitting there on the counter all night watching people have drinks," said Bruinsma.
The bar staff called him at 2am, using the phone number on Mittens' collar, saying they were shutting up shop and asking if the cat could go home.
One woman Bruinsma had been chatting to about his cat asked what he looked like, then revealed she had held him on her lap while having a haircut in a salon in town the other day.
"He's just one of those kind of cats who just owns the show and just goes up to people for the entertainment," Bruinsma said.
His brother Latte never goes more than 20m from home, but Mittens wanders up to 1.5-2km away, though usually returns home at the end of the day.
Mittens is spotted sitting on Cuba St one evening. Photo / Facebook
"I get called at all hours of the day," Bruinsma said. Luckily, Mittens has only been dropped at the SPCA twice.
"My philosophy with cats is you can keep your cat inside but if you have a cat inside and they want to get outside then they're not really living a quality life."
In his travels, Mittens regularly visits the local church, and it is not uncommon for him to be spotted relaxing in a class full of students at the local uni.
"He just sits up front, next to the teacher."
Mittens is "extremely friendly" and will happily go up to people for a pat.
There has been an influx of social media posts about Mittens recently, with people taking to the Vic Deals Facebook page to ask if anyone knows who Mittens belongs to and whether he is okay.
Some commenters have criticised Bruinsma for allowing his cat to wander the city, saying it could be dangerous for him.
Bruinsma said it was "quite interesting" his cat was becoming so popular with so many strangers, and was glad it was "positive news rather than negative news".
