If you've been hoping to adopt the plucky little kitty now officially named Rally Cat, you're not alone: The St. Louis non-profit caring for him says they've received "thousands" of such inquiries. And they'd like you to take a step back.

In a statement posted to Facebook, the St. Louis Feral Cat Outreach asked Rally Cat's myriad adoring fans to calm down just a wee bit and let them nurse the little guy back to health.

And by health, they mean both that he needs to put on weight and that they're, yes, cutting off his balls.

"His health is doing just fine, but he is has not gained as much weight as we had hoped at this point (he’s been through a lot!)," the organization wrote. [H]e will be quarantined until further notice until he gains sufficient weight, and has the chance to be neutered, which is our standard policy."



Even celebrity cats, apparently, need to do their part to reduce the nation's stray cat population.

The non-profit said they hope Rally Cat will be able to make his first public appearance next month — but even that is not guaranteed. "It is our hope he will be ready for his first public appearance, hopefully at the Rally Cat Appreciation Night at Busch Stadium on September 10th," they wrote.

And 'til then, calm down, people!

In the words of his caregivers:

We’ve had thousands of inquiries from throughout the region, including many great organizations like the St Louis Cardinals, in addition to many cat loving individuals about adopting Rally.

While only one can adopt Rally, rest assured we have a process in place, and will make sure he ends up in a great home in St. Louis for the rest of his life, and continues in a “paws-on” role with the St Louis Feral Cat Outreach Organization, and most importantly, will be allowed to lead a happy and healthy life. We’d ask that you respect our Organization by not inquiring to our very small, understaffed volunteers with inquiries about his adoption - we’ll keep you posted with new information via this Facebook Page.

Got that? Now give the guy his privacy already. Getting neutered is the noblest thing any cat can do. But that doesn't mean the poor fellow wants to have his caregivers live-tweet the procedure.

We welcome tips and feedback. Email the author at sarah.fenske@riverfronttimes.com