In the streets of Philadelphia, there’s a pint-sized hero who doesn’t just fight crime, he wins over the hearts of feral cats.
Meet 5-year-old Shon Griffin, known to his family (and now, the city) as “Catman.” Donning superhero costumes on his missions, Shon has become a legend in his neighborhood, especially among the feline community.
“We call him ‘Catman,'” said his aunt Kris Papiernik. She and her fiancée, Kia Griffin, have been rescuing and fostering cats for over a decade. But it wasn’t until Shon got involved that a cat named Bug finally came out of his shell.
“Nothing we tried worked,” Papiernik explained, that is, until Catman came along.
“When [the cats] took to him right away… Bug came right over to Shon, rubbed against his legs and allowed him to pet him,” said Griffin. From that day on, Bug was a changed cat, neutered, vaccinated, and now one of the friendliest members of the Kolony Kats.
Shon now regularly helps care for 45 cats across four city locations. “His favorite thing to do is give them treats,” said Papiernik. “He knows how to dish out the dry food, fill up the water bowls without any directions from us.”
At home, the indoor cats adore him too. “They sleep with him and wake him up with kisses,” Griffin shared. “He truly loves them, and they love him back just as much.”
Not all superheroes wear capes, but this one wears a tiny one, and always brings treats.
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