From Blocking Shots to Defending Cats: Rudy Gobert Stars in New PETA Video
For Immediate Release:
May 20, 2026
Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is an elite defender … for cats! The doting cat dad and four-time Defensive Player of the Year stars in a new PETA video—alongside his beloved felines, Ace and Link—that reminds viewers to give their animal companions the best possible care.
“Let’s start with the slam dunks: toys, a cozy bed, some fresh food and water, cuddle time, and a clean litter box are the starting lineup of a cat’s happiness,” Gobert says in the video. “Keep your cat indoors where they are safe … Never declaw cats—that will get you a big suspension.”
PETA notes that cats allowed to roam outdoors decimate native wildlife populations and are at risk of ingesting poison, contracting fatal diseases, enduring violence and abuse at the hands of cruel people, being attacked by predators, being hit by cars, suffering from frostbite, hypothermia, and dehydration, or falling victim to many other dangers. Meanwhile, declawing is a life-altering surgery for cats that involves 10 individual amputations—not just of the cats’ nails but also the last digit of each toe—and often causes nerve damage, infection, and immense pain.
Gobert’s other tips for responsible cat guardianship include cat-proofing cords, keeping toxic plants out of reach, and always installing screens on windows to prevent cats from falling or from wandering outdoors unsupervised.
“Be the MVP of your cat’s health, happiness, and safety,” Gobert says. “And give them all you’ve got, and all your heart.”
Gobert is part of a long list of athletes—including Jalen Smith, Lonnie Walker, Metta Sandiford-Artest, Tyrann Mathieu, Cam Newton, Enes Kanter, John Salley, and Chris Andersen—who have teamed up with PETA to promote kindness to animals.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
