Talk about a cat’s meow!
A cat that was rescued from a Minnesota rest stop nearly two years ago has now served as a model for Target, according to CBS affiliate WCCO.
The cat, named Hercules, was part of a group of 47 others found in a car at a Chisago County rest stop in June 2022, the news outlet reported.
When the local sheriff’s department and the Humane Society arrived on the scene to bring the cats to veterinarians and shelters, Hercules escaped, WCCO reported. Volunteers from Tuff Start Rescue eventually found him a month later, the news outlet reported.
Texas cat pulled from edge of busy freeway overpass and saved ‘against all odds’
WCCO noted that the animal’s fur was “soaked in urine” and that the animal was “immobile” and “near death” at the time of the rescue. It added that Hercules had a serious fractured jaw, as well as a maggot infestation that went through his cheek tissue.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Target store in Houston, Texas.
Getty
Instagram model Zappa the cat is inspired by Gigi Hadid and has the wardrobe to prove it
According to WCCO, Dr. Nicole Perreault, an employee of the St. Francis in Isanti, she helped put the cat through multiple surgeries.
“With his money order and everything, we’re probably $12,000 on him,” Perreault said. “We’re basically saying they’re worth every penny.”
An ‘adventurous’ cat hiding in a car engine was saved from a car crusher with seconds to spare
After Hercules recovered, Perreault asked her friend Jill LeBrun, a registered nurse, to adopt the animal. according to WCCO. It was love at first sight, LeBrun said.
Later, when an animal talent agency was looking for unique cats, LeBrun told WCCO, “I sent them a picture of Hercules and they wanted him for a photo shoot — and he did great then.”
The cat earned $100 for the appearance, per outlet, and “got invited to another photo shoot,” LeBrun said.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education