Hero Cat: 'Cat Fancy' Cover Photo Shoot in the Works -- Call the Groomer

Hero Cat is suddenly the Kate Upton of the pet world -- getting offers to appear on magazine covers and receive some fancy awards ... TMZ has learned.

Hero -- real name Tara -- became an Internet superstar thanks to that awesome video of her rescuing her owner's young boy from a vicious dog attack ... and now Cat Fancy (aka feline Vogue) wants a piece of her.

A rep for Cat Fancy mag tells us they desperately want Tara on an upcoming cover -- and they're even sweetening the offer ... to let her owners write an article to go with the photo spread.

And there's this ... Cat Fanciers' Association says it plans to present Tara with its first-ever Cat Hero Award at its upcoming awards show. Tara's owners haven't respond to either offer yet.