text: A volleyball-playing feline was picked to star in a national TV advert after seeing off competition from thousands of gifted animals. Tortoiseshell Mimi became an internet sensation after her owner uploaded clips of her playing the sport to Facebook. The 30-second-video was shared by thousands of people around the world and features the one-year-old cat playing with 15-year-old Joshua Teague. Joshua’s dad Phil, 56, a computer programmer, bought the cat with his wife Christine, 45, when she was eight-weeks-old in December 2013 from a seller who lived in Birmingham. Mimi was picked to star in the TV advert, which was broadcast last Wednesday (15), after Phil shared the video with the Pets at Home Facebook group earlier this month. He said: 'All the family were really excited to see the advert. Mimi the cat appears in a 30-second video showing her unique ball skills . 'We had everyone around so we could watch it together and we told all our friends that it was going to be on. 'I am really proud that our video was chosen out of thousands of entries. 'It was completely by chance that I uploaded the video on to the Pets At Home Facebook page. The cat is seen playing volleyball with 15-year-old Joshua Teague in the hallway . Mimi was picked to star in the TV advert after Phil shared the video with the Pets at Home Facebook group . 'I just saw something on there asking people to share videos and pictures of their pets so that’s what I did. I didn’t even realise it was a competition. 'The video showed Mimi playing volleyball with my son where he would throw the ball at her and she would keep batting it back. 'I had no idea it was competition so I thought it was a joke when I received an email on April 1 saying our video had been chosen for a national commercial. Mimi is seen in the video batting the ball back to Joshua every time he throws it her way . 'This kind of thing just never happens. 'She is a very talented cat. She has done many times since. 'I think she could get her own TV show.' Administrative assistant Christine said: 'I didn’t even know Phil had uploaded the video on Facebook so I thought it was an April Fools’ joke when he told me about it. 'We normally just skip the adverts when we watch programmes but we made sure to watch this one. 'Although she’s only in the advert for a few seconds, it’s nice to see her on it. 'I never thought when I filmed the video that it would end up on TV.'
target: A clip of Mimi playing volleyball was uploaded to Facebook .
  Cat saw of competition from thousands of gifted animals .
  Family received £20 voucher to buy  treats for their cat .
  Owner said 'family were really excited to see the advert'