Masked cat meme model is a 'purr-fect' fit for charity endeavor

Early in February, an online user posted photos taken of a cat on a street in China on micro-blogging platform Sina Weibo.

The cat is wearing a blue mask with eye holes cut out of it, supposedly to protect it from the novel coronavirus, a condition that mainly affects people.

Considering the seriousness of the outbreak back then, the image of the protective measures taken by the adorable pet's owner spread far and wide very quickly, catching the attention of Meetissai along the way.

He immediately got to work, creating a perfect recreation from putty and clay, vividly capturing the slightly confused cat in all of its meme-worthy glory and posted it on Twitter.

Shen Yu, the owner of a Shanghai-based modeling store, approached Meetissai for permission to manufacture and sell the funny feline figurines in China, with a plan to donate all the profits to Wuhan, the country's hardest-hit city during the outbreak.

"The small artwork was inspired by a scene in China when the country faced an unprecedented challenge to control the explosion of infected cases. I hoped it could be a reminder of what China and its people have sacrificed to fight against the virus," says Shen.