This cat named Michael Scott is the World's Best Cat
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The Office's influence is so incredibly strong that even cats are fans of the show, now. And no, we're not just talking about Angela Martin's.
Brittney Jernstrom, a 26-year-old Office superfan named her cat Michael Scott after noticing some striking similarities between him and Steve Carell's careless and beloved character in the NBC comedy. The funny feline is really living up to the name.
Since joining the family, the now 3-year-old black cat has embraced the World's Best Boss persona, and is delighting Office fans by donning a tie and recreating scenes from the show via the Dunder Kitten Instagram account.
Jernstrom came across Michael Scott when he was just a kitten, along with his brother and mother, and since the three were strays, she adopted them all. As for naming him, Jernstrom explained in an email that bestowing the Michael Scott title on him was a no-brainer.
"Once we got to know him, he quickly earned the name 'Michael Scott,'" she said. "It’s hard to explain, but he just acted more eccentric than any other cats we’d ever owned. We noticed early on that he'd do stupid stuff just to be the center of attention. He had a big personality. He was socially incompetent. He was affectionate but loud, and often obnoxious."
The cat, quite simply, reminded her family of Steve Carell's character, and the fact that the two share the same hair and eye color, along with a love of attention, really sealed the deal.
About a year ago Jernstrom said she decided to start the Dunder Kitten account for Michael, and once she started sharing photos of him wearing a cat tie alongside relevant Michael Scott quotes the popular @Cats_Of_Instagram account showed them some love.
"Most of the ideas for photos for the page spark merely from watching Office episodes," Jernstrom explained, sharing that sometimes she and cat Mike curl up and watch the show together.
While she often uses additional props such as a mini laptop and a World's Best Boss mug in classic Michael Scott posts, Jernstrom isn't afraid to get creative. She once wrapped Michael's foot in bubble wrap as a nod to "The Injury" episode, and even used a bandana to transform him into "Prison Mike."
Along with Michael Scott, Jernstrom has a dog named Scooby, and four other cats named Missy, Rocky, Patch, and Pippin, who occasionally take part in their Office Instagram antics. Rocky, for example, is assistant to the regional manager, acting as Michael Scott's very own Dwight K. Schrute, and Patch fills in as the office receptionist like a regular Pam Beesley.
Cat Michael Scott loves the Instagram life, according to Jernstrom, including his tie, and all the attention and photoshoots that come along with being an influencer.
"He thinks he’s hot stuff," she said. "We have a few designated spots around the house we take pictures in and sometimes he’ll go there and just sit and pose on his own waiting for me to take pictures of him."
In addition to the individual Office-themed posts, the Dunder Kitten account also has a delightful set of Instagram highlights saved to the top of the page. There, cat Michael Scott holds interviews so his followers can ask their burning questions and acts out some favorite scenes from the show.
Jernstrom said her favorite cat on The Office is Angela's beloved feline, Bandit, and that the iconic "Save Bandit" scene always kills her. But it doesn't look like Michael Scott will have to fly through any ceiling tiles to make a statement.
The side-by-side shots with the real Michael Scott, commitment to set recreation and props, and in-depth references to the show are more than enough to delight fans.
Topics Animals Instagram The Office
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
