Purrrfect: Missoula’s Newest Unofficial Mascots Care About Air Quality

Call them the Missoula Air Quality Cats.

I get a lot of press releases but when I received recent press releases from Missoula Public Health I had to smile. Of course, the releases had helpful information about how the recent wildfires have impacted air quality and that the quality has been ranging from Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups to Unhealthy.

But along with this crucial information, two ambassadors of Air Quality shared their expertise.

"Mushu, your local air quali-kitty, keeps up to date on air quality around Montana by reading MT DEQ's Smoke Outlooks in case she wants to get out of town to cleaner air," a release from Kerri Mueller, Air Quality Specialist with Missoula Public Health said.

"Hester the Smoke Purrcaster reminds you to follow all posted restrictions while recreating," a release from Sarah Coefield, Air Quality Specialist with Missoula Public Health said.

With two Air "Quali-Kitties" educating us all, I thought we could all get to know these Unofficial Mascots better.

Meet Mush and Hester, Missoula's Air Quality Cats

Q: What are these kitties like?

Kerri: Mushu’s a silly little kitty that loves people and attention. She’s got quite the voice to let you know she wants some love and will run up to any friend for pets. She’s famous for her head-butting leaps to get a few scratches! Not only is she incredibly affectionate and cuddly, but she also loves adventures and catching bugs. She loves the journey as much as the destination especially when she gets the chance for a cat nap in the car. Once at the destination, she loves to explore around and enjoys walking on paths that aren’t too tough on her kitty paws. If her mom walks too far ahead, she runs to catch up; she’d rather be with people than alone!

Sarah: Hester is a very bold kitty. She’s curious about the world around her and eager to investigate new things. She will run up to strangers on the trail and invite their admiration and scritches. She is also a lot. She has big feelings and will tell you all about them. She likes to wrestle with her big kitty brother, but only if she’s winning. She only loves one person and merely tolerates offers of affection from others. She is fiercely protective, hates strange cats, and carries her favorite mousies around the house while crying at the top of her lungs. She’s silly and loving and opinionated and always up for a hike.

Q: Where do these "Quali-Kitties" like to go when exploring Western Montana?

Kerri: Mushu’s favorite place is her own backyard. The porch offers a front-row seat to squirrels and birds to chitter at, and the yard has lots of yummy bugs to chase and snack on. Outside of her fenced yard, she loves joining her human to fish or forage at nearby places like Bass Creek, Ninemile, or up the Blackfoot – pretty much anywhere that she can catch a few bugs! She’s even gone as far as Bozeman, Dillon, and Kalispell to visit human friends around the state. Although she loves to get outside, she spends most of her time inside sunning herself on her kitty hammock in the window.

Sarah: Hester prefers forested trails within close driving distance, so she’s spent a lot of time up Pattee Canyon, Sousa Trail and the Rattlesnake. She also loves visiting family property on the Swan River, where she has access to hikes without any doggies and lots of frogs and garter snakes to chase.

Q: How do Mushu and Hester feel about walking on leashes?

Kerri: Mushu doesn’t mind her harness one bit, but she doesn’t like being tugged along. She will slowly follow if guided or she’ll lead the way! Often, she will walk around with her leash dragging behind her so she can roam freely

Sarah: Hester’s personality on the trail alternates between a directionally challenged toddler and a horse heading to the barn.  Walking a cat is not fast. Except when it is. She doesn’t mind the leash at all and takes direction well. Her max hiking range is 2-4 miles, and it includes a lot of being carried, several impromptu naps, and an unseemly amount of grass tasting.  She is entirely chill with mountain bikers and tolerates dogs if they don’t surprise her and she’s out of their reach. She attacks trees and feet when she’s tired and gives head bumps and giant purrs when she’s happy on the trail.

Q: What do the Unofficial Air Quality Mascots want the public to know about air quality?

Hester: "Pay attention to changing conditions at fire.airnow.gov! If the air is bad, you may need to have an indoor play day. Ask your parents to play fetch or drag a string around or toss mousies for you to bat out of the air. It’s also a good time for naps. When the air is better, get outside for some exercise in the hills!"

Kerri: Mushu takes her role as Missoula’s air quali-kitty very seriously because she knows smoke can have a huge impact on people’s health. But she is always happy to pose for pictures for an air quality update! She always encourages people to check fire.airnow.gov before adventuring and to have a plan to clean their indoor air especially when wildfire smoke arrives. Indoor play isn’t as fun as catching bugs outside, but she knows indoor play keeps her lungs safe when it’s smoky out. Cleaning those nasty smoke particles out of her indoor play area is super important to her; Montanawildfiresmoke.org has great resources on this!

Keep scrolling to see more photos of Missoula's Quali-Kitties.