Ian Somerhalder at SXSW: If You Can’t Have Grumpy Cat, Adopt Another Cat

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File this in the “cute little things that can have a big impact on animal adoptions” file. And seriously, who knew one grumpy little cat could generate such a huge following?

Ian Somerhalder, a.k.a. Damon Salvatore on “The Vampire Diaries,” is a textbook example of how to use your celebrity for good. He has the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, which “aims to empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures,” according to its About page.

And he’s part of Ryot, a site that offers the news, along with ways you can make a difference regarding any particular news item.

Ian spent some time at SXSW this past week and had the opportunity to meet the infamous Grumpy Cat. He called her “precious,” noting that she had 52 million mentions in a 24-hour period.

“I wish we could have that many mentions for adoptions,” he said. “If you love ‘Grumpy Cat,’ but you can’t get a munchkin Siamese with blue eyes, go get another cat. Go get your own Grumpy Cat.”

Check out the video over at People.com.

Tagged as: celebrity do-gooders, grumpy cat, ian somerhalder, pet adoptions, SXSW