Meet Max, a feisty feline surrendered to the Oromocto, N.B., SPCA in October 2022.
He’s become a bit of a celebrity after a post to the organization’s Facebook page. In the photo, Max is pictured next to a sign that says, “It’s been zero days since I smacked someone for no reason.”
Olivia Cannatella, who works at the SPCA, said originally it was to be open and honest about who Max was when people were considering adopting him.
“So Max is slightly temperamental,” she said in an interview on Friday. “And we have kind of taken the last little while to get to know him and we thought that the best way to find him the right home is to be completely honest about his personality and not set anyone up for unrealistic expectations.”
Cannatella said Max knows when he’s had enough and is not shy about letting others know it with a swipe of his paw.
The photo made its way to Reddit with the caption “back by popular demand … it’s Max! He did his best.” It garnered 46,000 likes and 450 comments and was upvoted 96 per cent of the time.
A local business owner also printed a cardboard cutout of Max and some stickers with his new nickname, “Sir Smacksalot.”
Cannatella said she believes his popularity is because Max is relatable in a lot of ways.
“We all just wish we could be Max,” she said. “Just when we’ve had enough, just give a smack and ask for our space.”
Since going viral, there has been a lot of interest in the brown tabby and there is a strong lead for an adoption.
When taking visitors on Friday, including Global News, Max was a perfect gentleman.