It started one dark and rainy night on the back streets of suburban Auckland. But now internet sensation, Bruce the cat has moved to Port Chalmers Dunedin and has become the inspiration for the illustrated children’s book, Bruce Finds A Home.
Bruce became an internet star after Bruce’s human, Kathryn van Beek, found a kitten alone and disheveled on a footpath in Kingsland, Auckland.
He was barely a day old and still had his umbilical cord attached.
Kathryn, along with her partner Tim went through some pretty tough months providing around-the-clock care for Bruce.
They started sharing Bruce’s progress on his very own Facebook page, picking up over 30,000 fans from around the world who have witnessed how far he has come from his grey, fever coat days.
Kathryn has turned Bruce’s story into a new children’s book to help teach kids about the importance of caring for animals.
“New Zealanders love cats. In fact, we average 1.8 cats per household,” says Kathryn. “Bruce Finds a Home reflects the affection that children (and grown-ups) have for our furry companions”.
The book tells Bruce’s story, and has been lovingly told and beautifully illustrated by Kathryn. A Kickstarter page has been set up to help raise money to get the hardcover book printed.
Words: Emily Nicholas