A nine-year-old cat that lived his entire life at a northwest Iowa animal shelter has been adopted by a family from Missouri. Barney was adopted after becoming a social media sensation last month. Emmet County Animal Shelter Director Kristy Henning says Barney was featured in the shelter’s “Sunday Spotlight” on Facebook.

The post drew attention nationwide and in Canada and 15 applications were filled out to adopt Barney the cat. The shelter selected a family from Lee’s Summit, Missouri as Barney’s forever home.

The Sherer family is keeping the shelter — and the internet — updated on Barney’s progress.

Barney’s mother was pregnant when she was taken in at the Emmet County Shelter, so he had spent every day of his life at the facility until he was
adopted. Henning says there’s no carpeting at the shelter and Barney’s new family says he loves rolling around on the carpet at his new home in Missouri.