When these college cats score, shelter cats eat: Friskies to donate up to 500,000 meals to shelter cats throughout football season

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — College football is back. Stadiums are packed. Fans are on their feet. And this fall, Friskies, America’s #1 cat food brand, is giving cat fans something new to cheer about. Today, the brand announced it has officially signed six cat mascots from five universities across the country, welcoming them into the Friskies family as part of the “Certified Frisky” campaign. The roster includes:

• Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat from the University of Arizona
• Truman the Tiger from the University of Missouri
• Will D. Cat the wildcat from Villanova University
• Cosmo the Cougar from Brigham Young University (BYU)
• Aubie the Tiger from Auburn University

To celebrate the new partnerships during football season, Friskies will transform points on the board into meals for shelter cats. Each team’s first score in every regular-season game will trigger a 10,000-meal donation to Greater Good Charities to help feed shelter cats in the schools’ communities and beyond. Whether it’s a touchdown, field goal, or safety – when Friskies’ cat mascots score, cats score.

“Every great program starts with great recruits, and we couldn’t be more excited to sign some of college sports’ most recognizable feline talent,” said Jason Dolan, Brand Director, Friskies. “These cats already know how to steal the spotlight and rally their fans, and that’s exactly why we wanted them on the Certified Frisky roster. Together, we’re turning game day excitement into something bigger by helping cats in need.”

Certified Frisky is Friskies’ stamp of approval on the moments, people, and places that radiate cat-like energy and attitude. If it’s playful, surprising, and a little unhinged (in a good way), it’s Certified Frisky.

To see Certified Frisky in action during college football season, follow Friskies on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, or explore Friskies’ full lineup of cat food and treats at Friskies.com.

The six-cat roster builds on Friskies’ 2026 collaboration with the University of Arizona Wildcats, whose postseason run in men’s college basketball turned every point into meals for shelter cats.

This campaign was created in partnership with the multimedia rightsholders of each participating school: Playfly Sports representing Auburn Athletics, BYU Athletics nationally and Villanova Athletics, Learfield representing the University of Missouri Athletics, and Arizona Sports Enterprises representing the University of Arizona Athletics.

About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world’s most trusted and popular pet care products, including Dog Chow, Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Friskies and Tidy Cats. Our more than 11,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 46 million dogs and 68 million cats every year. Nearly 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.

Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive. Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.

About Greater Good Charities
Greater Good Charities is a 501(c)(3) global nonprofit organization that works to help people, animals and the environment by mobilizing in response to need and amplifying the good. Greater Good Charities, with a Four-Star rating on Charity Navigator and a Platinum Seal on GuideStar, has invested more than $1.1 billion in impact, including cash grants, in-kind supplies, and programmatic support to charitable partners in 121 countries since 2006. To learn more about how Greater Good Charities is amplifying the good across the globe, please visit greatergood.org. 

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SOURCE Friskies