A new tale for rescued kitten

Dunedin’s most famous cat is about to become even more so with his very own book!

Bruce’s tale very nearly didn’t start at all. A year and a half ago, Kathryn van Beek discovered the bedraggled one-day old kitten alone on a footpath.

She fed him around the clock and named him after that other famous orphan, Bruce Wayne.

“I enlisted the help of Otago Polytechnic Veterinary Nursing student, Carol Smith. She fed him while I was at work. Bruce and I couldn’t have done it without her!” says Kathryn.

The tiny kitten’s story went viral; he now has more than 30,000 Facebook fans from all over the world who hang on his every photo and exploit.

Kathryn (now Bruce’s human) has now written and illustrated a children’s picture book Bruce Finds a Home.

The 18 hand-drawn illustrations reflect Bruce’s neighbourhood - Port Chalmers, Dunedin.

Kathryn’s giving a sneak preview to the children of Port Chalmers Primary School on Wednesday 24 May to celebrate the launch of a Kickstarter to help fund the book’s publication. There will also be a launch event at Startup Space that evening.

“New Zealanders love cats. In fact, we average 1.8 cats per household,” says Kathryn. “Bruce Finds a Home reflects the affection that children (and grown-ups) have for our furry companions”.

The Kickstarter campaign will allow people to pre-order copies of the hardcover book for $20. There’s a range of rewards for those who pledge, including custom illustrations and even Bruce’s ‘pawtograph’! People can also choose to donate copies to The Animal Rescue Network, a charitable trust dedicated to helping stray and abandoned cats and kittens.

ENDS

Events
What: Book Reading at Port Chalmers Primary School.
When: 11am, Wednesday 24 May
Where: Port Chalmers School

What: Kickstarter Launch with Book Showcase
When: 5pm, Wednesday 24 May
Where: Startup Space, 20 Leithbank, North Dunedin
Light refreshments provided, including complimentary Pitch Black beer thanks to Invercargill Brewery.
View the Eventfinda listing here.

About Bruce the Cat
Bruce has more than 30,000 fans on Facebook and is also on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and of course YouTube. He appeared on TV1 News and featured in local and international media. Find out more about Bruce by visiting his website or his Facebook page.

About Kathryn van Beek
Kathryn has a master’s degree from Victoria University’s Institute of Modern Letters. She won the 2015 Headland Prize for a short story and Best of the Auckland Zinefest 2015 for her collection of illustrations. Find out more about Kathryn on her website: kathrynvanbeek.co.nz.

About the publisher
Mary Egan Publishing is a family business with over 30 years’ experience in the book publishing industry. Find out more about Mary Egan Publishing on their website: http://www.maryegan.co.nz.

About the Animal Rescue Network
The Animal Rescue Network is a Dunedin-based charitable trust dedicated to helping stray and abandoned cats and kittens.

About Kickstarter
Kickstarter is a global crowdfunding platform with a mission to bring creative projects to life. Kickstarter has received over $1.9 billion in pledges from 9.4 million backers to fund over 250,000 projects. People who back Kickstarter projects are offered rewards (in this case, books and other Bruce-related goodies) in exchange for their pledges.

Bruce Finds a Home is proudly supported by Otago Polytechnic, Pet Doors R Us, Black Cat Candles, Quick Brown Fox, Humanimals Vet Clinic, Black Cat Interiors, Blackcat Education and Royal Canin.

The Kickstarter launch event is proudly supported by Invercargill Brewery.

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