“Cat Grandpa” is such a hit CBS News did a double dip.
Terry Lauerman, who went viral in 2018 after Safe Haven Pet Sanctuary in Green Bay posted photos of him napping with its cats, was first featured by the network in a story that aired in January 2020. CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman, who is known for his weekly “On the Road” feature that shines a light on acts of kindness by everyday people, came to Green Bay’s Broadway District in 2019 to film the segment on Lauerman, better known as Cat Grandpa.
The retired teacher and brother at St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere has been coming to Safe Haven since 2017 to volunteer his time petting, brushing and, most famously, catching a few winks with the cats. His popularity as a social media star has helped the nonprofit cat rescue raise significant funds, including nearly $100,000 after his viral moment.
In a post on Feb. 20 on his Facebook page, Hartman shared the original segment and then also checked in remotely with Safe Haven founder Elizabeth Feldhausen for a quick update. With Lauerman visible in the background sprawled out on a couch with a blanket and a cat on top of him, Feldhausen told Hartman that he’s still “doing his thing” at Safe Haven…