Meet Perdita, The ‘World’s Worst Cat’, Who’s Looking For A Forever Home

An animal shelter in North Carolina thought they would have trouble finding a home for one of its residents, but an unorthodox ad has made this grumpy cat a star.

Perdita, a 4-year-old domestic shorthair, was brought to the shelter after the death of her owner. Shelter owners immediately noticed that she was a bit difficult to handle… even after having her health thoroughly evaluated to rule out illness as the cause of her aggression, Perdita still seems like she can’t decide whether she wants human attention or not, and will swat anyone who guesses wrong.

They knew they would need to get creative to find a home for her. So they decided to take the straightforward approach and came up with this flyer that doesn’t sugarcoat anything, because honesty is the best policy.

The shelter posted this ad on Facebook

Image credits: MitchellCountyAnimalRescue

Despite the shelter’s not-so-shining endorsement of Perdita, the viral ad got the attention of some people who are up to the challenge—in an update, the shelter revealed that staff are now looking through over 50 applications to find the best home for the world’s worst cat. Perdita’s not sure what to think of all the attention.

The shelter posted this update

Image credits: MitchellCountyAnimalRescue

While some commenters were amused by the ad, just as many were sympathetic. After all, Perdita is undoubtedly confused and traumatized after losing her owner and being taken out of the only home she knew. Despite all that shelter workers do to keep animals comfortable during their stay, being in a confined, noisy space around lots of unfamiliar animals and people is inherently stressful, especially for animals that previously lived alone. Unfortunately, that stress can keep a shelter resident from showing the best side of their personality, a vicious cycle that makes finding a willing adopter more difficult.

Some commenters shared their stories of taking a chance and adopting cats who seemed aggressive in the shelter but turned out to be great companions once they grew comfortable in their new home. Among all the potential adopters vying to give Perdita a chance, there’s bound to be someone who will give her love whether she turns out to be sweet, spicy, or a little of both.