Who has 11,000 fans, feeds children, supports animal sanctuaries, kayaks and is hairless? Bambam a hairless Sphynx-Munchkin is obviously not your ‘normal’ cat!
She and her kitty-mother live with Jo’s family and the three of them drive to Jo’s warehouse as security with a co-worker's dog. They are not very good at it, there is photographic proof of them curled up together cat-napping!
There are advantages of having hairless cats. Jo’s children are allergic to cat dander, not a problem with her cats. Also, bathing is faster, no fur to dry. Their vacuum has never burned out from cat-fur clogs and their clothes are never covered in fur! It is easy trimming claws as there is no digging through foot-fur clearing the way.
These hairless cats are special, but so is their Earth Angel Hooman. Jo’s life mission is making a paws-itive difference in pets and peoples’ lives by helping them out and making them smile. In this vein, she uses her social media skills creating humorous talking cat videos and posts them Facebook.
“One mother text that she and her son love watching Bambam’s videos because it helps them get through their day,” said Jo. “When I learned the child had leukemia and his wish was meeting Bambam, we made it come true at the Children’s Hospital. Their meeting is posted online.”
When Jo learned a cat sanctuary’s 400 cats needed food and litter she geared up for the challenge.
“I posted fun videos, ran contests and painted fans’ cats as winning prizes,” said Jo. “I gave away incentive Bambam pens, bookmarks, and mouse pads. Most fans ‘just wanted to help’ and didn't want anything in exchange. I posted the incoming money goals, filmed Bambam shopping for the litter and cat food and me stacking and storing two pallets of items for the sanctuary. Bambam was the only hairless cat at the sanctuary when we made the happy delivery.
In 2017, I planned for a year for my family to deliver 1,000 meals to a village of hungry Philippine children. I held contests, offered my photo-shopping skills to created fun images of fans’ pets, and they rose to the challenge and donated ‘fur the cause’. An overseas friend coordinated the charitable location and another gathered volunteers from a neighboring village to cook the meals. The grateful children rarely see apples, so their fruit dessert was a hit!”
Jo and Bambam are celebrities. A very spoiled Bambam was featured on TV lying on her back, with her toes in the air for a paw-d-cure. Strangers-Fans walk up to Jo and say, “Hello Hooman” which is her online purrs-ona when they see her walking Bambam in a stroller, a front sling, or on a leash.
“The funniest thing someone asked was, ‘Is that a monkey?’ when they saw their first hairless cat,” laughed Jo. “Furless cats are warm to the touch, but they get cold easily, so my cats wear clothes. They have their own closet and more clothes than I do! Fans make their clothes. The happy-hand knit Jester hats arrived from a New Zealand fan. One friend sells Sphynx clothes and my cats model them. Also, my cats go kayaking with us. They wear a life vest and sit on the kayak enjoying
the view. They are so used to car rides and traveling with us that they never show signs of anxiety. They consider this their ‘normal’ life.
It’s been said that pets often look like their Hoomans,” said Jo. “Bambam’s purrs-nality is much like mine, and she has a little tummy like mine, but now, I'm starting worry as she is getting wrinkles!”
