A fluffy and adorable cat named Mittens is in the running for the tag of New Zealander of the Year. But the feline has tough competition ahead; he is up against NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield.
The cat has joined a number of prominent personalities who have been nominated for the award, from various fields including politics, media, music, health and so on.
Mittens is a Turkish Angora and lives in Wellington and has his very own Facebook page having over 50,000 followers. The page regularly shares updates about the cat's activities. Mittens went viral on social media when people in Wellington started documenting and sharing his pawsome adventures and whereabouts.
Mittens has become so famous that he has a section dedicated to him in the Wellington Museum titled 'Floofy and Famous' - a name which perfectly describes him.
Mittens has been hailed "in recognition of bringing happiness, laughter and coolness to the capital -- and putting the city on the map internationally with his feline antics," according to the New Zealand government.
Nominations for the prestigious award will close on August 30 and a two-round evaluation process will follow. Judges will announce the semi-finalists in December. The final winners will be announced in March of 2021.
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