Vernon cat in running for America’s Favourite Pet contest

A Vernon cat is currently in the running to be America’s favourite pet.

Vernon resident Elaine Gross saw an ad for America’s Favourite Pet contest back in November 2020 and after reading the rules, decided to enter her purebred Himalayan cat Reba. There was nothing in the rules that said you couldn’t enter a pet from outside of the United States, she said.

On Jan. 11, Gross received a message that 10-year-old Reba had been selected for the contest. Now, she’s in the quarter-finals facing off against 15 other cute kitties.

Votes are collected online until March 12 and she needs the top spot to be able to proceed to the next round, Gross said.

As of March 10, Reba is in fourth place.

“Where she’s gotten today is on her cuteness,” she said.

Gross thinks Reba has what it takes to be American’s cutest pet.

“She has been a sickly cat from the time I’ve got her. She’s had colitis and has been allergic to chicken… about four years ago (her teeth started to decay) so we had them all removed.”

But she always bounces back.

She greets you at the door when you leave and come home from work, and has a personal groomer that visits four times a year and loves to cuddle, she said, adding people often refer to her as a “princess” or a “queen.”

The winning pet will be featured on the front cover of Catster Magazine and the owner will receive $5,000.

“We’re fighting right now to get up to the first spot,” she said.

To vote for Reba, visit America’s Favourite Pet’s website here.

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