A cat-napping grandpa fell asleep surrounded by shelter animals and photos of him went viral. Many fans of the post felt it should be an Ellen Degeneres story. The popular photos were posted up on September 18 by Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary Inc. in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The images on Facebook were captioned as, "We are so lucky to have a human like Terry. Terry just came along one day and introduced himself. He said he'd like to brush cats. Eventually, it became everyday. He brushes all of the cats and can tell you about all of their likes and dislikes.

He also accidentally falls asleep most days. We don't mind - Cats need this! Terry is a wonderful volunteer."

Huge funding boost for the shelter after photos go viral

The post got so many likes and comments, that since then, News8 wtnh.com reported that a funding boost came into the shelter for cats with special needs. Apparently, the funding that flowed in is equivalent to their annual funding goal. The money came in within a matter of days. Called "Cat Grandpa" on social media, retired Spanish teacher Terry Laurmen, is amazed at the public response. He reportedly doesn't do stuff on the internet. Despite becoming famous just for falling asleep, (as he describes it), he's delighted that something he did is raising money for the cats.

Cat-napping retiree grooms the animals almost daily

Cat-napping cat-lover, Terry, loves to be with the animals, spending hours with his brush, grooming them and slipping them treats, The Nation reported.

The 75-year-old retiree sets himself up in the shelter's "cat cafe" with couches with the television screening a bird loop. The cats run to greet him every time he arrives and the founder, Elizabeth Feldhausen, says that cats really need loving.

The cats at the Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary would usually be put to sleep at other shelters, as they all have special problems and needs.

Some of them suffer from disabilities. The cats get rehabilitation, treatment, and lots of loving brushing by "Cat Grandpa." Eventually, they try to rehome the animals.

Over on Facebook, there were 6,700 comments and 23 thousand shares. 88 thousand people liked the photos, many of them with laughing emojis. Here's what some of them had to say:

  • Melissa Chapman: "Sounds like this post needs to be shared to Ellen Degeneres!!"
  • Jill Murray: "Fur sure he needs to be on Ellen. He is right up her ally (cat!)! What a wonderful human he is!"
  • BeBe Kay "This is where our kitty The Dread Pirate Roberts came from! He was found almost frozen to death last winter and they took a chance on him. At 12 years old they weren’t sure he would make it but today he is one happy kitty! So thanks Safe Haven and Terry!"
  • Lisa Fallon Daniels: "Even in the best shelters I've been to, I've never ever seen a cat that felt safe and secure enough in a shelter to sleep-cuddle like this. As a cat lover, my heart is very happy; as a mental health professional who's worked with a lot of stressed and traumatized humans, I think Terry is giving these fur babies a tremendous gift."

Will we see Terry on Ellen Degeneres' show?

What do you think of the retired cat-napping teacher who inadvertently raised thousands of dollars for a cat shelter in Green Bay? Do you think we'll end up seeing "Cat-Grandpa" on Ellen Degeneres' "Ellen Show?" Stay in touch with curious and viral news by checking in with Blasting News often.
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