Last updated Jul 20, 2026
Image Credit: nbcnewyork.com
The New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA Championship, for the first time since 1973. We congratulate them, but we cat lovers are especially cheering for OG Anunoby, a team superstar who has stepped up to be a hero for shelter cats, too.
Anunoby, a Knicks forward, has shifted his focus from NBA finals to felines. He picked five shelter cats at Animal Care Centers of NYC to spotlight, and he called them “OG’s Starting Five”: Penne, Sammy, Roxie, Damu, and Lil Leo. Within days, three of the five cats were adopted – including Damu, a senior cat with medical issues. We love it when people give another chance to senior cats, overlooked by so many, to live out their lives in a loving home. None of these cats appear on the list of adoptable animals on the Animal Care Centers of NYC website, so they all found homes, thanks to the boost from Anunoby, who was unavailable for an interview.
The comments from cat lovers on the NBC New York Facebook page are sweet: “Some heroes wear capes, some wear jerseys,” one user said. Another user said: “What a solid dude! Much love and respect to OG Anunoby!!”
On the Instagram page for Royal Canin, which co-sponsored the OG’s Starting Five promotion, Penne’s adopter commented! The mostly white cat with some calico patches is now named Orli and is “doing amazing with our toddler and completely defied her shelter notes!” Orli even has her own Instagram page you can follow at @orlitheogknickscat.
Katy Hansen, director of communications for the Animal Care Centers of NYC, told NBC New York that Anunoby really gave the cats visibility that helped them get adopted.
“And who knows how many people came in thinking they were going to meet one of those five, and then they ended up adopting another cat?”
Hansen told the news station that the shelter staff was very happy with Anunoby’s five picks, as they are some of the staff’s favorite cats.
“Especially the ginger, Roxie,” she said. “Gingers are very special. We had over 300 to choose from, so we were really happy with his selection.”
Kudos to corporate shelter partners Royal Canin and VCA Animal Hospitals, who will provide free cat food and unlimited free exams, respectively, to the adopters of these five lucky cats. Royal Canin is also donating 50,000 pounds of pet food to shelters around the United States via Greater Good Charities to honor Anunoby’s commitment to pets in need.
“We believe every adopted pet deserves a happy, healthy head start in their new home,” Dr. Julia Georgesen, VCA’s chief medical officer, told NBC. “Our goal has always been to help shelters remove barriers to adoption, which is why we’re so proud to stand alongside more than 150 shelter and rescue partners nationwide through our Healthy Start Program. Supporting ‘OG’s Starting Five’ is such a natural extension of that commitment.”
For better or worse, celebrities have a strong influence on many people’s lives and they have high-profile platforms where they can serve as role models. We love it when famous people use their fame to help cats by encouraging adoption, spaying and neutering, and anything else that will save lives.
Hansen of the NYC shelter expressed this sentiment to NBC: “I think having athletes who so many people respect and hero worship talking about adoptions is going to get other people to start talking about adoption,” she said. “Especially young kids – they want to have pets and their heroes are all about adoption. … The more people that talk about adoption, the better off we’ll be because shelters around the country are at crisis level … so this really helps.”
Actress Halle Berry is another example of a celebrity champion for cats. The Oscar-winning actress, who played the title character in the movie Catwoman, sat down recently with Drew Barrymore to talk about how she channels her Catwoman energy into rescuing kittens! Berry, a self-proclaimed “Real Catwoman,” told Barrymore that kittens just kept showing up on her property, and she started a charity project called Hearts and Paws. She has rescued many kittens and gets the adult cats fixed, to prevent future litters.
The Drew Barrymore Show
Though most of us will never be famous, we each can still make a huge impact on the lives of cats. Kitten season is flooding animal shelters and rescue groups around the country with litter after litter of stray kittens. You can save lives directly by stepping up to foster. If you don’t have extra space in your house, you can still help save lives by donating money and supplies like food and litter to rescues and shelters, whose resources are strained.
Check out our article about kitten season, and what you can do to help these babies and the nonprofits that care for them.
We are grateful for Anunoby for using his fame and influence to help cats, and we hope other athletes follow his example in their cities. May we all, even as everyday people, do everything we can to help cats in need of shelter and care, and forever homes!
