Meet Nala — the richest cat on the planet.
Just ten years ago she was living in a shelter in Los Angeles, and today her fortune is estimated at 80–84 million pounds sterling. Nala the cat earns around 12,000 pounds per single post, and her account is a full-fledged business. The story sounds like a fairytale, but behind it lies strategy, hard work, and a phenomenon of the new economy. The internet turned a cute animal into a global brand. And Nala is the most striking example of how this mechanism works.
How Much Does Nala Earn and How Did She Become Famous
The future star was rescued from a shelter in 2010. Her owner, Varisiri Methachittiphan (Pookie), started running an account on behalf of the cat in 2012. Nala “spoke” to followers in the first person, and this approach went viral even before SMM became a profession.
Today she has more than 4 million followers and around 7,000 posts. According to marketing agency estimates, the cost of a single sponsored placement is 12,000 pounds.
Nala — a cat with a Guinness record for the most followers among cats. Image source: thesun.co.uk
In addition to integrations, Nala became the face of a cat food brand, launched her own product line, and received a Guinness World Record as the cat with the most followers.
Pookie admits that she initially made social media her main job. Nala’s account is not a random success but a systematic project with daily audience engagement.
Why Nala Is Considered the Richest Cat in the World
The animal influencer industry continues to grow. According to marketing research from 2025, pet product brands are increasingly redirecting budgets toward “furry ambassadors.” The reason is simple: the level of trust in animals is higher than in human bloggers.
Besides Nala, the following consistently appear in global rankings:
- Jiffpom — a Pomeranian named Jiff with around 9 million followers on the social network banned in our country, one of the most recognizable “insta-dogs” with media projects and advertising.
- Doug the Pug — a pug with 4 million followers, a collaboration star and pop culture icon, one of the most cited pet influencers.
- Tucker Budzyn — a golden retriever with around 4.40 million followers, viral videos, “family” content, and strong engagement.
- Bunny (WhatAboutBunny) — a “talking” dog with more than 2 million followers, a phenomenon of “button communication” regularly discussed in a popular science context.
- Juniper (Juniper Wildlife Refuge / JuniperFoxx) — a fox with 4 million followers; this is not just cute videos but a story about animal rescue and shelters.
- Smoothie the Cat — a cat with “the most photogenic eyes on the internet,” around 2 million followers; an account focused on aesthetic photos and a recognizable image, consistently featured in European and global pet influencer rankings.
- That Little Puff — a Ragdoll cat who became a TikTok star: around 33 million followers and viral videos featuring “cooking” and life hacks; one of the most viewed pet accounts in the world.
- Mocha Pom — a Pomeranian with fashion collaborations, more than 14 million TikTok followers; the image is a stylish, “fashionable” Pomeranian with tricks and outfits; regular advertising integrations and appearances in international roundups.
Bunny the dog, Doug the Pug, That Little Puff cat, Smoothie the Cat, Juniper the fox, Jiffpom the Pomeranian. Image sources: fluent.pet, honeynbutter.com, thatlittlepuff.com, pinterest.com, pinterest.com, thesprucepets.com
How Nala Helps Shelters and Develops Her Own Brand
Nala’s story is not just about income. Thanks to the account, the owner met her soulmate, developed a business, and actively supports animal shelters. Part of the profits goes to charity.
A cat that nobody once wanted to adopt became a symbol of the new digital economy. And at the same time — a reminder that success can start even from a shelter, that is, from scratch.
