It wasn’t the cat’s meow for some Republicans.
Some GOP insiders are furious at 2025 mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa for cozying as much as Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a cat-centric comedy skit — claiming the Guardian Angels founder “betrayed” them.
Sliwa, the crimson beret-wearing founding father of the vigilante Guardian Angels and self-appointed guardian of Gotham’s felines, teamed up with the democratic socialist mayor in a pre-recorded video at this 12 months’s Internal Circle present — a musical political parody for charity.
Some insiders at the moment are claiming they need to get their political donations again after the skit, which exhibits Sliwa giving Mamdani an allergy shot so he can lastly dwell with a kitty at Gracie Mansion.
The skit spoofed the truth that Mamdani, who’s allergic to cats, is definitely getting a collection of allergy photographs so he and his cat-loving spouse, Rama Duwajii, can deliver a pet into their new mayoral digs.
However some Republicans aren’t laughing.
“If you don’t have a mattress to sleep in it’s important to discover anybody who will take you,” fumed former Gov. David Paterson. “You’ll be able to inform when individuals are true to the celebration, and I assumed it was reprehensible.”
Sliwa insisted his solely motive was serving to animals.
“I assumed it was nice as a result of it was selling rescuing animals,” he advised The Submit after the skit, explaining a Mamdani staffer referred to as two weeks in the past to ask if Sliwa would seem in a skit in regards to the mayor “getting vaccinated for cats” — one thing Sliwa stated the 2 political rivals truly agree on.
Nonetheless, critics blasted Sliwa’s gentle‑hearted theatrics as chilly‑hearted betrayal.
“Betrayed his household. Betrayed the Republican Get together. Betrayed everybody,” one GOP operative railed, insisting on anonymity to trash the cat lover’s cameo.
Paterson and others are nonetheless livid Sliwa refused to drop out of final fall’s bizarre three‑approach mayoral race to clear the best way for former Gov. Andrew Cuomo — who the anti-Mamdani coalition seen as the very best likelihood to cease him from profitable.
“[Curtis] was by no means going to win,” Paterson fumed Sunday. “He obtained 7 proportion factors, seven — even the Jets get seven once they play.”
The Guardian Angels founder refused to step apart and even walked out of a gig at 77 WABC radio due to stress from hosts and proprietor John Catsimatidis for him to clear the trail for Cuomo.
Sliwa rival Fernando Mateo — who organizes bodega homeowners and ran in opposition to Sliwa within the 2021 Republican mayoral main — stated the previous candidate will do something to get media consideration.
“Folks shouldn’t be shocked, this isn’t new and there’s possible extra to return,” Mateo advised The Submit Sunday. “He’s a compulsive liar who consistently seeks and feeds on consideration, particularly from the media.”
Sliwa stated his fellow GOPers had been being unfair to him.
“If individuals are upset at that why aren’t you mad on the President Donald Trump who has welcomed him into the White Home twice?” Sliwa griped.
Nonetheless, Sliwa — who’s already planning to hunt the GOP’s mayoral nomination for 2029 — pressured he isn’t near the Democratic Socialists of America darling mayor.
“That’s the one contact I’ve had with Zohran for the reason that election,” Sliwa stated.
