MusicCityNashville.net: One Cool Nashville Cat and His Cat Daddy Are On the Rise in Nashville

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One Cool Nashville Cat and His Cat Daddy Are On the Rise in Nashville

by Rich and Laura Lynch

Music City never ceases to amaze us. There is always something to do and see and it always has a way of surprising us. So, it was really no wonder when we learned that our current favorite celebrity feline - KURT THE CAT - and his owner reside in the Nashville area.

One Cool Nashville Cat and His Cat Daddy Are On the Rise in Nashville

Abram Engle pictured with "not Kurt" visits The Catio in Nashville.

The Catio is already one of our favorite spots here in town - so when we heard that Cat Daddy Abram Engle was planning a return trip to the cat sanctuary in the Music Valley near the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, December 16, 2023 we ventured over to visit the cats and the engaging Mr. Engle.

Abram Engle is a Tik Tok celebrity who has millions of followers thanks to a little help from his furry friend Kurt. As the story goes, in November of 2019, during his senior year of high school, Engle found Kurt a street cat struggling in their small town of Purvis, Mississippi. Abram's Mom had a rule of no bringing critters into their home but agreed to "temporally" house that skinny kitten. In a short time, a strong bond was formed and even Mom fell in love with Kurt.

Around the same time, Engle was in a competition with his friends to see who could reach 10,000 followers on Tik Tok. Abram observed that cat and dancing videos were popular, so he combined the two. After posting a clip of Kurt grooving to the song "No Idea" by Don Toliver in December 2019, Engle's account took off. So much so, that Abram decided to work in social media full-time with the thought that he can pursue higher education at a later date.

Yates is the current Catio sentinel who is looking out for his furever home.

Abram currently lives in Nashville Tennessee so he can easily stop in to support the good work that The Catio is doing. The welcoming Catio located at 2416 Music Valley Drive is a non-profit cat lounge. They opened their doors in 2019 and with their partners the Nashville Cat Rescue to date they have facilitated thousands of adoptions. The Catio has spacious rooms with beds, perches, scratching posts and toys for a fun feline environment.

On Saturday, Abram chatted with guests, posed for pictures and had a surprise of his own up his sleeves. Playing Santa in this Christmas season the generous cat advocate sponsored the adoption costs for the two critters who found their furever homes while he was there. In addition to celebrity visits, The Catio hosts various events to raise funds for food, litter and more. Art, meals, movies and yoga are just some of the fun activities that they present but the best part is that you get to hang out with the cats.

With the opportunity to meet Kurt's dad becoming a reality we prepped a few questions for the charismatic Cat Daddy in advance of the occasion.

Is it any wonder why Ginny was adopted only moments after posing for this pic.

MCN: Hi Abram. We were wondering if you have always been a cat person?

AE: I've always liked cats. But, Kurt is the first cat that I've actually had personally.

MCN: What have you learned from your obviously very strong bond with Kurt?

AE: I would say cats have a personality. I never really knew how much of a personality they have. But they show it and it's all about the connection - and, we have a great one.

MCN: Do you follow any other celebrity cats?

AE: Oh, yeah. Don't Stop Meowing. Pearl and her Ragdoll Cats. A lot!

This handsome boy even looks the Kurt's brother from another mother.

MCN: Do you think Kurt will ever get a sibling or companion in the future?

AE: I do want that. I'm getting married next year so after he gets used to that we maybe want to introduce him to a kitten. That's the top thing people who watch my videos want me to do is to get another cat. There's good ways to introduce him so that he can get adjusted. So, I'm excited.

The Catio has a second location called the Senior Catio at 14270 Lebanon Pike in Old Hickory (near Mt. Juliet). As the name implies this spot is for some of the older cats who might prefer a more mellow environment after all cute kittens are bundles of energy.

So, please check out one or both locations especially if you are considering becoming a cat parent. Who knows, maybe your newly adopted pet will help turn you into an Internet star with millions of followers of your own - just like Kurt and Abram.