Jiemao App (街猫, lit. street cat), or Hello Street Cat is a popular stray cat feeding and livestreaming app that combines feeding machines which drop kibble when a donation is made and broadcasts a livestream of cats eating the food. It went viral both in China and abroad because clips from its feed made several cats into meme sensations, such as Mr Fresh the side-eye cat and Mr Shock. Now the Chinese-style tea chain Nayuki has collaborated with the Street Cat platform to propel more cats into celebrity status by openly calling for submissions of street cats to become the ambassador for its latest bottled drink offering.
From 12 October, you can nominate the cats you think fit to be the face of Nayuki’s bottled fruit tea range, by posting your story with the cat you support. If the cat you support makes it into the top 24 rankings according to post engagement on 18 October, the cat enters the voting round and will receive an official portrait as well as a neutering fund worth 450 RMB (63.24 USD). You can receive an annual feeding card from Street Cat and Nayuki’s gift box to commemorate your nomination.
The voting is then divided into three rounds and ends on 31 October. Cats that get into the top 6 will get their portraits printed onto drinks while the top cat gets a fully documented adoption process. Other cats that get adopted in the competition also mean rewards for the cats and people who nominated them. Even the “house” (automated feeding machine with camera) the top 6 cats are from will get 60 days of free feeding.
The event is, therefore, a means for both the Steet Cat and Nayuki to raise awareness of strays and the platform. By putting the cute feline faces onto bottles and releasing a documentary, Nayuki and Street Cat can educate the public regarding both the adoption process and advertise cats available for rehoming. It is also a chance to raise awareness around the TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) process for stray cats. As for Nayuki, what more could you want other than having the top six most-voted cats on the Street Cat App as your ambassador? (Joking aside, it’s a great ESG campaign for the tea brand).
