A new book proves that cats can be anything at all when they grow up: surgical assistants, exercise partners, circus performers, newscasters, therapy pets, security guards, ministers, mayors -- the list goes on and weirdly, wonderfully on.
Personal Trainer Cat
Bad the cat helped fitness buff Stephanie Jackson develop Catflexing.
Chesney the cat was babysitter to little kitten Joey at a British animal shelter.
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Author Lisa Rogak told The Huffington Post it's hard to pick her favorites among them, these are all such impressively industrious animals.
But she was especially taken with the cat moonlighting as a school crossing guard, a police cat and, of course, Tama, the famous Japanese train conductor cat who died in June, just to name a few.
Minister Cat
Sisco, otherwise known as Reverend Cassidy, was ordained as a minister by the Universal Life Church.
"I live in New Hampshire, so I have a soft spot for the farmer cat and weather observer cat, both of whom live in the state," Rogak said.
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Actor Cat
This cat appeared in an ad for Pizza Hut Japan. Customers were disappointed when they visited the store's physical location and found humans working there, instead.
Part of what Rogak loved discovering, while writing the book, is that cats find the jobs that best suit their personalities.
The cat circus performers and therapy cats and natural medicine practitioners -- yes, all actual cat jobs featured in the book -- weren't forced into these professions.
Rather, they've taken to their careers like a fish to water.
Model Cat
This cat's entire job is to look good in costumes, on camera. Give this cat a raise!
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Or like Captain Sunny to water in the Florida Keys, where that cat helps out aboard a -- it's true -- catamaran.
"The boat captain cat took his duties in stride while not being afraid of the water. Who knows if his skills and aptitude would have transferred well to working, say, in a bookstore," Rogak said. "I think the same would apply to most of the other cats in the book."
Crossing Guard Cat
Sable worked as a crossing guard at Enterprise Middle School in West Richland, Washington, coming twice a day to help kids cross the street safely, on their way to and from school.
Rogak does not have any cats herself these days, due to allergies. She did in the past, though.
And writing this book gave her some insight into what spoiled little pets those beloved furry guys were.
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"I learned that there are plenty of industrious cats out there," she said, "who are nothing like the ones I lived with years ago."
Get in touch at arin.greenwood@huffingtonpost.com if you have an animal story to share!
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