Morris the Cat is famous for being the feline face of 9 Lives Cat Food. Morris is known for being a finicky eater, and he chooses only to eat 9 Lives food. Morris even puts his signature on each and every can of cat food to show his approval.
A professional animal handler named Bob Martwick discovered the very first Morris at the Hinsdale Humane Society in 1968. This tabby cat soared to stardom in the 1970s as he became the official model for 9 Lives. Since his introduction, the character of Morris the Cat has been played by 3 different rescue cats.
Morris the cat is so famous that he even made it to Hollywood to star in several movies and television shows. Morris was also awarded US Magazine’s “Animal Star of the Year” award for three years in a row.
In addition to his acting career, Morris became an advocate for rescue cats around the world. He became the face of the Morris Million Cat Rescue Campaign, where he promoted and facilitated the adoption of one million homeless cats. This campaign was a complete success, and in honour of his efforts, June 13 became designated as “Morris the Cat Day”.
The current Morris the cat is happily living with his handler Rose Ordile in Los Angeles.
Check out Morris in action in one of his famous advertisements Here.