May 27, 2025, 12:06 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Every cat owner knows: Cats hate going to the vet. But apparently not all of them! British Shorthair cat Sammy visits a veterinary practice in Esens every day. His owner, Alexandra Strehlau, was unaware of his whereabouts for a long time.
A cat that voluntarily goes to the vet? That might sound like a fairy tale to many cat owners. Most cats rebel in their carrier as soon as you turn onto the street of the vet’s office, let alone when you enter and they catch a whiff of the unmistakable clinical smell. A cat feeling comfortable there voluntarily? Hard to believe. But a British Shorthair tomcat from Esens (Wittmund district) proves it. Every morning, promptly around 7:30 a.m., he stands in front of a local veterinary practice, meowing or scratching at the door until he is let in. He first appeared there in 2023. For a long time, no one at the practice knew where he came from or who he belonged to. They simply called him “Muffin” because of his round face.
Muffin’s Daily Life at the Veterinary Practice
Muffin quickly became a fixture at the veterinary practice and keeps the staff on their toes. Especially in the mornings, when he demands treats and empties the shelves until he gets some. Another favorite pastime of Muffin the cat: taking over the phone center. Whether playing with the phone cord or lying directly on the phone–he’s always involved.
Muffin Is the Permanent Employee of the Month
Muffin’s favorite spot is the reception counter at the veterinary practice. He spends most of his day sleeping there. His presence is greatly appreciated by all the staff. “Especially on stressful days, it’s nice when he’s here. You pet him, and then he starts purring. It’s like yoga. It calms you,” reports employee Nina Thorwarth.
It quickly became clear: Muffin the cat wins the “Employee of the Month” award–and permanently. In his honor, a framed photo of the cat hangs in the practice.
Even though a variety of animals come to the practice daily, Muffin feels very comfortable there and is not bothered by other patients. “He still lies relaxed on the counter or checks out the animals in the waiting room,” says Thorwarth.
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Cat Owner Was Unaware
Muffin–whose real name is Sammy–is the cat of Alexandra Strehlau. She didn’t know where her cat spent his days for a long time. The four-year-old cat was an indoor cat for the first two years of his life. After that, Strehlau began letting him out gradually. She often wondered where he spent his day. She never thought he would just stroll across the street to the practice every day. “He wasn’t really into vet visits,” Strehlau says.
Spending the day at the veterinary practice and getting treated are two different things for Muffin or Sammy. He doesn’t like being treated either. But if an injury causes problems, he lets his “colleagues” help him. When Alexandra Strehlau recently noticed a bloody injury on him, she went straight to the practice. She was informed that Sammy had already been treated there that morning. “He just goes to the doctor himself,” Strehlau says.