Barrhaven cat to star in pages of national charity pet calendar

Ottawa cat Nova was selected from more than 43,000 entries for a charity pet calendar. (Pet Valu/Handout)

A "sweet and curious" feline from Barrhaven, will leap across the pages of a national pet calendar for charity.

A captivating shot of Nova the cat enjoying the Ottawa outdoors on a sunny summer day was selected to be featured in the month of August in the 2025 Companions for Change calendar.

Nova was selected from more that 43,000 entries, with nearly 5.5 million votes being cast during a public 15-day voting period.

The calendar features photos of 13 other Canadian pets, including dogs, cats, a hamster, parrot and even a lobster.

Ottawa cat mom Ivana submitted the photo of the Russian Blue tabby with enchanting green eyes.

"Ivana says Nova likes to talk back to the birds chirping, watch squirrels run on the fence and playfully chase bumblebees and butterflies," a news release from pet store chain Pet Valu said.

Starting on Monday, the calendar is available in all Pet Valu stores across Canada, outside of Quebec, for a give-what-you-can donation.

One hundred per cent of the proceeds will go to initiatives that support animal rescues and charities in Ottawa and across Canada.

Since 2010, the national calendar has raised more than $31 million, according to the company.