Living life to the Max

His favourite spot to sit is a obvious one, according to Max’s owner, Michelle Banfield, who also owns Flourish.

“His favourite spot is where you get the most attention. That’s on the counter,” Michelle said.

“He just lays there. The customers have to work around him.

‘‘Before Christmas we were crazy busy. People would come (to the counter) with pots and plants and they’d say ‘I don’t want to move the cat’.”

Max’s life appears to be a charmed one now, with the run of the plant nursery and giftware store, and plenty of attention from both Michelle and her cat-loving customers.

But his life has not always been an easy one.

Michelle first spotted Max as a cat in the Shepparton News Pet of the Week column, which features Shepparton Animal Shelter pets that need to be adopted.

“I opened the paper and saw him and thought ‘I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to go and look’,” Michelle said.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

Max was about two or two-and-a-half years old when he was put up for adoption by the shelter and Michelle does not know anything much about his background.

“He was skinny and terrified,” Michelle said, of when Max first came to live with her.

“He spent the first three weeks hiding behind the computer tower in the office.”

He is nowhere near as shy these days.

Now Max is prepared to accept pats from anyone who would care to give them to him.

“He’s realised no-one’s here to hurt him and everyone’s here to pat him,” Michelle said.

“If you pat him on the counter and he likes you, he’ll follow you around for more pats.

“The customers love him. He has the most amazing nature for a cat.

“People come in and actually ask for him.

“One lady sent her husband in especially to meet the cat.”

Max lives at the shop with Michelle and seems quite at home walking among the plants and “helping” Michelle with whatever she is doing.

“He likes to be where you are,” she said.

“If I’m out the back, he’ll be under the counter there, or if I’m out here (the front part of the shop) he will be on the counter out here.”

Max is not interested in the plants though, and mainly leaves them alone.

He does like to hide though, and Michelle said she had to be mindful when she was watering so as to not end up watering him as well.

While Max initially came to her from the shelter with the name of Thunder, Michelle quickly changed it as she did not think it suited him.

And Max seems to like his new name.

“He knows his name. He comes to it like a dog,” Michelle said.

When asked Max’s role in the shop, Michelle is thoughtful.

“Maybe public relations officer. Or the shop supervisor,” she said with a laugh.

“He’s not the store greeter. You’ve got to greet him. That’s your job.”