Hannibal Is Basking Ridge's Pet Of The Week

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Meet Hannibal! He has been chosen as Basking Ridge Patch's Pet Of The Week.

"Hannibal is a 16 1/2 year old Hong Kong rescue cat. His mom was the bakery cat from the Mickey St. Loren bakery and his dad was probably one of the orange tabbies hanging out by Mosque St. He smelled like warm bread when we first took him home. Hannibal has a crooked tail — we originally thought it was machinery, but it's actually a genetic trait of the Hong Kong alley cats.

Hannibal was named after Hannibal the General who crossed the alps on elephants. However, he's also a bit fierce like the other Hannibal. He climbs all over the furniture and has to sit on my lap (cuddle on his own terms) or he gets a bit feral. He traveled from Hong Kong to New York business class.

He likes to drink from the turtle tank (or fish tanks, when we had fish) and the faucet. As a kitten he once bit the Christmas lights and shorted the electricity. He is very protective of the children and will position himself between any visitor and the kids (when babies and now teens.) He is noisy and demanding, but I love him — in part because he was the first child — the one I made all the mistakes with. He has a small fan club and keeps the dog in line-social distancing always preferred."

— Eva Deffenbaugh

Do you think your pet should be Basking Ridge's Pet of the Week?

Participating in the Pet of the Week happenings is simple: submit your nomination by emailing alexis.tarrazi@patch.com with subject line "Basking Ridge Pet Of The Week." Be sure to include a photograph or two of your pet, a paragraph about what makes him or her so great, the town you're from, and your name.

Then just keep an eye out for a photo of your pet on the Patch!

The photo can be of a present pet, or it can be a baby picture of the adult pet you're so proud of today. All photos must be property of the submitter. By submitting a photo to Patch the submitter agrees to give permission for it to be published on Patch.

Additionally, selected winners each week will be given a free treat bag when they stop in Woof Gang Bakery and Grooming inside Bridgewater Towne Center at 732 US-202. And winners can also bring their pet into the store for a picture. Woof Gang Bakery will put them up on their Facebook page as well.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

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