76-year-old potter goes viral for making pottery with his cat

MADISON, Wis. — We often hear that dogs are man's best friend. But in Madison, it appears a cat is a potter's best friend.

John Hunter has been making pottery since he was a teenager, drawn to the hands-on nature of the craft and his natural eye for design.

"I like being, you know, hands-on. So I think that was a big part of it. And I apparently had a real good eye for design, right off, and was encouraged in that."

The 76-year-old has lived all across the world but currently calls Madison home, where his basement has become his studio.

When Hunter spent 25 years living in Southern Africa, he used Instagram as a way to share pictures and updates with his family. Now, he uses social media to teach others his talent.

"It's a good vehicle to teach and also to share techniques and things," Hunter said.

Those videos have taken off in popularity, earning him more than 300,000 followers on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, with videos garnering millions of views.

Hunter said the popularity has been fun and has given him a platform to share both his faith and pottery.

But while Hunter's pottery initially drew viewers, his cat, Georgie, has become a star in his own right.

"Let's be honest, I think Georgie's the main attraction," Hunter said.

Georgie, whose full name is George Alexander McDougall the third, is often seen alongside Hunter in his videos. Hunter said the cat's appearance in a video wearing his apron helped propel the account to viral popularity.

"He's like the catalyst and the reaction. So, it was sort of funny, but it just sort of-he really, all of a sudden, it just went crazy. It went viral. I think we got 3 million views on that first video I did with him in my apron, and he liked it," Hunter said.

During a visit to Hunter's studio, Georgie could be seen running around the basement, watching Hunter make pottery while perched on shelves, sitting on Hunter's shoulders and head, on the desk and even nestled in a bag.

The pottery Hunter makes also supports a cause close to his heart. Proceeds benefit Community Hope School, an after-school program he and his wife, Suzanne, created while living in Southern Africa.

The program serves orphans and vulnerable children through education and free meals. Hunter said it costs approximately $8,000 a month to run.

Hunter said he uses his online platform primarily to teach people how to make pottery, while also sharing his faith.

"I do a little bit of sharing about my faith on that, but mostly I'm just trying to show people how to make plates, how to make cups, how to do things like that. So, it's fun, and it doesn't take a lot of time," he said.

As for how much longer Hunter plans to continue making pottery, he said, "as long as I can... throw hard as I can for as long as I can."

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