FROM IGNORED TO ADORED™: THE SHEBA® BRAND HELPS CAT PARENTS EARN THEIR FELINE'S LOVE IN 12 DAYS

Teaming up with award-winning actress Haley Lu Richardson, who proves that even the most adored people can still wonder if their cat actually likes them.

Key Points

• Nearly two-thirds of cat parents say they've felt ignored by their pet, highlighting the universal struggle of earning love and attention.
• Award-winning actress Haley Lu Richardson joins the IGNORED TO ADORED™ journey, proving that even fame, talent or heartfelt gestures don't guarantee a cat's affection, as she tries to win over her own cat, Darbin, with the help of SHEBA®.
• The SHEBA brand's IGNORED TO ADORED campaign invites pet parents nationwide to strengthen their connection with their cats, proving that the right approach — and the right meal — can make all the difference.

FRANKLIN, Tenn., March 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- If you've ever wondered, "Does my cat love me?", you're not alone: a recent study reveals more than half of cat parents have questioned their cat's affection¹. To address this issue, the SHEBA® brand, part of the Mars family of brands, is rolling out "IGNORED TO ADORED™," a campaign and movement to help drive connection between cats and owners in 12 days, or their money back.*

To bring the program to life, SHEBA partnered with actress and cat mom Haley Lu Richardson. While she may be recognized around the world for her work on one of television's most talked-about series, at home she faces a reality many cat parents know well: trying to earn the attention of her cat, Darbin. In fact, she once went so far as to write him a heartfelt poem to express her affection, but his response was less than enthusiastic.

"Darbin is totally indifferent to my attempts at winning him over. I've tried everything from creating an original poem about him, wearing a necklace with his name on it, to getting a tattoo of him and he couldn't care less," said Haley. "I know fellow cat parents can relate to my experience that's why I'm joining SHEBA on their IGNORED TO ADORED campaign, so others know they're not alone and there's hope for us. Winning a cat over isn't about big gestures. It's about the little things, like the food in their bowl and always having the right snacks on deck."

Through the partnership, Haley will share playful and honest moments from her life with Darbin, inviting cat parents everywhere to follow along. Together with SHEBA, she demonstrates that building a stronger bond just requires the right approach.

"Haley's relationship with Darbin is a real-life example of how relatable it is to feel ignored by your cat and the lengths cat parents will go to win them over," said Fernando Silva, Vice President, Marketing–SHEBA brand, US. "IGNORGED TO ADORED is more than this insight, it's a celebration of the unique relationships between Cats and their pet parents, and the kick-off of a movement designed to strengthen those relationships with SHEBA by your side."

Cat parents will see the IGNORED TO ADORED program come to life via fun, relatable content inspired by the realities of life with a cat in social feeds, in-stores, and beyond. To get started on the journey, visit SHEBA.com.

*Full terms and conditions can be found at SHEBA.com/ignoredtoadored

¹Consumer research survey conducted by MMR Research on behalf of Mars, surveying n = 1000 cat parents in UK, USA and France respectively between 9th - 15th September 2025 

ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED
Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, Pringles®, Cheez-It®, and BEN'S ORIGINAL™. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD™, BLUEPEARL™, VCA™ and ANICURA™ span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles — Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet.

For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Media Contact:
Jessica Mancuso, Mars Petcare [email protected]
Nirmala Singh, Weber Shandwick [email protected]

SOURCE The SHEBA® Brand