It takes a special kind of sass to earn the title of “World’s Worst Cat,” and Perdita wears it with pride. According to Mitchell County Animal Rescue, the 4-year-old feline is “not for the faint of heart” — and that’s exactly why they love her.
Perdita doesn’t have time for your cuddles or cooing. She’s not into kittens, not fond of dogs, and definitely not a fan of Disney movies.
What she does enjoy? Staring into your soul, hiding in dark corners, and ruling her domain from a comfy fleece bed like the moody queen she is.
A head scratch? Occasionally. Treats? Yes, those are acceptable tributes. But cross her, and you’ll leave with bite marks and a story to tell.
Before you label her a grouch, know this: Perdita’s past hasn’t been easy. “Her story is actually a sad one,” said Amber Lowery, executive director of Mitchell County Animal Rescue. “Her owner passed away, and she was left alone in the house for a while.”
Concerned neighbors who’d been feeding her eventually reached out for help.
When Perdita arrived at the shelter, she was so cranky the team thought she might be sick. But after a vet check, the verdict was clear: “Turns out she’s just a jerk,” the shelter posted online.
Realizing Perdita needed a very special adopter, the team leaned into honesty — and humor. “We decided we’d be brutally upfront about her personality,” said Lowery. “That way, the right person would understand what they were getting.”
The result? A viral Facebook post that didn’t sugarcoat a thing.
The Facebook post reads: “Meet Perdita, not for the faint of heart. LIKES: staring into your soul until you feel as if you may never be cheerful again; the song Cat Scratch Fever, the movie Pet Cemetery (Church is her hero), jump scares (her specialty), lurking in dark corners, being queen of her domicile, fooling shelter staff into thinking she's sick (vet agrees…she's just a jerk) DISLIKES: the color pink, kittens (yuk they are so chipper), dogs, children, the Dixie Chicks, Disney movies, Christmas and last but NOT least…HUGS. She's single and ready to be socially awkward with a socially awkward human who understands personal space.”
The post took off, generating laughs — and over 100 adoption inquiries.
These words may seem harsh, but they were for Perdita's benefit, noted Lowery: “Our plan was to highlight all the differences that she has … so when you take her home you’re not surprised, and it’s a better chance of the adoption actually sticking and her not coming back to us.”
With over 100 applications, it won't be long before Perdita finds someone willing to accept her just as she is.
But the shelter is taking their time. “We’re screening very carefully,” Lowery said. “We want to make sure whoever adopts her truly understands and embraces her unique personality.”
Perdita may not be a lap cat, but she is a cat worth loving — on her own terms.
If you’d like to support more quirky cats like Perdita, you can donate to Mitchell County Animal Rescue here.
