BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — In what started as a way to tell people about the cats she had found in her backyard, now a Birmingham woman has received a major social media award for her work in being an advocate for animals.
Julia Davis, who posts videos of her pets to over 750,000 followers on TikTok, recently received won the Animal Advocate award as part of the Cheer Choice Awards, which were held in Las Vegas over the weekend. The Cheer Choice Awards recognize social media influencers making a positive impact online.
“Holy cow,” Davis said while accepting her award. “Wow.”
Through her TikTok, Davis chronicles the lives of her “Coop Kitties,” or two cats that she found in a chicken coop in her backyard in the Birmingham suburbs. Over the past year, Davis has used her growing profile online to help others, from fostering a family last Christmas to starting a fund to help pay other people’s veterinarian bills.
“I would like to thank the ‘Coop Kitty’ community,” Davis said. “I’ve met several of you here which is just wild; the fact that anyone looks at my face on a regular basis is just quite strange, but that have supported us through thick and thin, taking in the strays, the ferals and the forgotten critters that came in a chicken coop in my back yard in Birmingham, Alabama. It’s been quite a journey and they supported us, loved us and sent us funds for vet bills and food and toys for these cats, so much that we have been giving it away to other people. That is how amazing TikTok can be and social media can be.”
Davis, who previously worked at the University of Alabama at Birmingham before being laid off last year, has spent the last few months trying to make a living on her online presence. However, she wants to be able to give back more.
“I would love to use whatever platform I have to help other people,” Davis told CBS 42 back in March. “Just bringing positivity to a space that is not historically positive would be my goal.”
Davis provided the following message to CBS 42 about her win:
“I would like to say that social media has the potential to be an incredible force for good. This award is a recognition for positivity and it’s all a testament to our community on TikTok and how incredible they are. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for them and I’m so thankful for our community, family, and friends.”
Davis was not the only Alabama native to win big at the Cheer Choice Awards. Ophelia Nichols, a Semmes resident better known on TikTok as “Mama Tot,” won the Cheer of the Year Award and was nominated in the Motivational/Inspirational category.
