Mittens (cat)
Mittens is a domestic cat in Wellington, New Zealand, who is known to wander Te Aro and the city's central business district. A feline flâneur, he has been known to roam as far as 2km away from his home. Selfie pictures with the cat have become a desired item for locals. Mittens is occasionally taken to the SPCA or police.
Originally from the suburbs of Auckland, he has become a social media celebrity since he, his brother Latte and their owner Silvio Bruinsma, a partner at Deloitte, moved to the capital city. He featured on the 2018 edition of the Wellington Advent Calendar, an online calendar counting down the days before Christmas. Sam Thacker, an SPCA staff member, posted a polite direction about how to treat Mittens if anyone comes across him; asking members of the public not to report or take him in as they are familiar with his behaviour.
On the 22nd of May 2020, Mittens was given the Key to the City of Wellington and can proudly join the list with the likes of Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor. Later that year he was the subject of an exhibition at the Wellington Museum.
