Success Story: Batter Up!

In honor of Adopt-a-Shelter Cat Month in June, Hillsborough County Animal Services (HCAS) in Tampa, FL, made a special effort to find homes for its kitty population. They made a deal few could refuse: Adoption fees were cut in half for all available cats.

One lucky beneficiary was a dapper black-and-white kitten called Whiskers, named after the star catcher of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Dioner Navarro—also fondly known as Whiskers. Like his namesake, Whiskers the cat has magic fingers; he’s a polydactyl with seven digits on his front paws and six on the back.

In June, accompanied by Marti Ryan of HCAS, Whiskers made his media debut on MIX 100.7 (WMTX-FM), and posed for photos with Tampa-area radio personalities. During the segment, he licked the microphone nervously but gamely played along when DJ Nancy Alexander cast him as the subject of a contest for concert tickets. “How many toes did we say this cat has?” she asked listeners. The winning answer, of course, was seven in the front, six in back!

By the end of the day, Whiskers’ 15 minutes of fame earned him a forever home with his new pet parent, Gina Rosenberger. As it happens, this cat lover already had a polydactyl, and had been searching for a companion for years. A friend heard Whiskers on the radio, passed the info along to Rosenberger, who quickly contacted HCAS. “My other cat is also named after a sports figure!” She told HCAS staffers. “He’s called Monte Mitten, after Tampa Bay Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin!" Touchdown!