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#FindKadyrovsCat: Comic John Oliver Joins Chechen Leader's Feline Hunt 


Real gone cats
Real gone cats

It's been a week since Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov launched an appeal via Instagram asking his 1.8 million followers to search for his cat, which had gone missing 10 days earlier.

The cat is a toyger, a breed of domestic cat resembling a "toy tiger," as Kadyrov points out.

While Kadyrov’s post received tens of thousands of likes and comments, it's unclear whether the cat has been found.

But now, British-born U.S. comedian John Oliver has joined the search.

In the latest episode of his weekly Last Week Tonight With John Oliver show, Oliver appealed to his millions of viewers to put #FindKadyrovsCat and Kadyrov's Twitter and Instagram handles to use.

"...Kadyrov being upset about his lost cat is not good," Oliver said. "This is a man whose security forces have been accused of kidnappings and torture, and whose Wikipedia page has an entire section dedicated to 'Accusations of human rights abuses.' And the mere existence of that [section] is pretty damning.... You don't even need to know the details to know that it cannot be good."

He went on to note Kadyrov's brutal methods and his affection for clothes emblazoned with likenesses of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and cites Chechen authorities' reported questioning of more than 1,000 wedding guests -- "including children" -- after he lost his phone.

"When Kadyrov can't find something, he goes a little nuts," Oliver said:

Oliver also launched the appeal on his Twitter and Facebook accounts:

The hashtag #FindKadyrovsCat has since received a considerable number of replies with mock offers to help:

Others took to Photoshop to combine some of Kadyrov’s two favorite things on Instagram: Putin and animals.

There was even a Game of Thrones reference featuring a lifeless carcass of a cat that resembles his own:

This Twitter user insinuated that Kadyrov’s cat had escaped of its own will, fleeing his repressive regime:

Others, including the Twitter account of the humanitarian-aid NGO People In Need, used the hashtag to highlight the human rights abuses that many have allegedly suffered under Kadyrov's rule.

The toyger breed appeared in Russia in 2008 and can cost up to 100,000 rubles (around $1,500), TASS news agency has reported.

Kadyrov's Instagram account responded late on May 23 with a slightly rambling celebration of Putinism and the attention the cat story was garnering, along with a Photoshopped image of Oliver in a Putin T-shirt and the caption: "I'm tired of jokes. I want to care for cats in Chechnya. By the way, Putin is our leader!"

Recently my “tiger cat” has left the house. It happens in spring from time to time. He also needs to meet with friends, mingle and share news. By cat rumors he has in our district a familiar she-cat with which he’s going to start a family. I’m sure that after spring affairs, the cat will return to native walls. Perhaps, he'll bring his sweet love with him. I got used to share with my friends in Instagram with all news, including cat issues. And this time I didn't want to leave as a secret the cat's adventures. I receive lots of photos. Some people say that they saw the cat in Vladivostok, Japan, Iceland, New Zealand, and even in the Oval Office of the White House! I am grateful to all, but this is NOT my cat. It became known that even the American TV channel “HBO” joined to search. The anchorman comedian - John Oliver asks millions of viewers to look for a cat. I knew long ago that in the USA unevenly breathe to my younger friends. One day horses aren't allowed to jump, the other - a cat is a real star of a show. Oliver laments a fact that we put on t-shirts with a photo of the President of Russia - Vladimir Putin. Yes, millions of people rejoice t-shirts with the image of the national leader. For this purpose, there is a good motivation. Vladimir Vladimirovich is a wise, courageous, resolute Head, who managed to withstand unfriendly campaign, which is conducted by the USA and its assistants. Thanks to Putin, we have crushed terrorists among whom there were also citizens of the USA, and European citizens. The country directed by Obama under the guise of peacekeeping operations spark new wars and bloody internal conflicts, in which die millions of people. Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria... That's why there is nothing surprising that Oliver also got a wish to appear publicly in a T-shirt with an image of Putin, but not Obama. #Kadyrov #Russia #Chechnya #USA #HBO #Oliver #findkadyrovscat #Ihavenotseenyourcat #IHAVESEENYOURCAT

A photo posted by Ramzan Kadyrov (@kadyrov_95) on

About This Blog

Written by RFE/RL editors and correspondents, Transmission serves up news, comment, and the odd silly dictator story. While our primary concern is with foreign policy, Transmission is also a place for the ideas -- some serious, some irreverent -- that bubble up from our bureaus. The name recognizes RFE/RL's role as a surrogate broadcaster to places without free media. You can write us at transmission+rferl.org

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