If Quilty the shelter cat is guilty of anything, it’s that he cares too much about his fellow feline comrades.
However, the good people at the Friends for Life animal shelter in Houston, Texas, might argue that he’s also pretty guilty of helping all his besties (or, “inmates”, if you will) escape. But if there’s one thing that Quilty knows, it’s that he’s not the only freedom-seeking fur ball in the joint; he’s just the only one with the know-how to do it.
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(Honestly just think Prison Break with cats and you’ve got the right idea.)
At the end of October, Quilty found himself placed in solitary confinement (or, more accurately, the shelter’s lobby).
According to a now-viral Facebook post , this jail-breaking kitty was moved after staff caught him “repeatedly” letting other cats out of the senior room. As it just so happens, he’s very good at opening the lever-handles on doors.
After “Quilty-proofing” the room, staff then put him into an integration kennel so he could re-acclimate.
But apparently, these “guards” didn’t learn their lesson and forgot one very important thing: Quilty can’t be contained.
The shelter revealed that after his “review with the parole board was denied,” Quilty went ahead and “released himself on his own recognizance today.”
Basically, he broke out and had to be returned to solitary in the lobby again . It’s no wonder why they’ve lovingly dubbed him “spicy a-hole.”
There, he managed to escape by following close on the heels of a staff member who was leaving the room.
This, however, led to poor Quilty being perp-walked back to confinement, which must have been a pretty frustrating moment for this mutinous cat who just wants to taste freedom , sweet freedom .
But it’s so hard to get anywhere when you weigh about 12 pounds and everyone keeps picking you up.
This actually happened another 3-5 times, with Quilty escaping and roaming the shelter before eventually being caught again. And he was never happy about it.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure the cat-wrangling staff at the shelter aren’t super happy about it either.
In one Facebook post about Quilty, they cheekily wrote, “Please. Come meet him. And take him home. Please…”
But finding this mischievous kitty a home could prove easier than any of those staff members ever thought possible.
After his first Facebook post went viral, Quilty earned himself a pretty big following and plenty of admirers. He even has his own Instagram page , called “Free Quilty”, where he’s described as a “door ninja” with an “advanced degree in Catculus.”
As of writing, the page has nearly 31,000 followers.
The shelter has even started offering Quilty’s devoted fans some #FreeQuilty merch.
You can pick up your very own shirt with this jail-breaking kitty on it here .
While you’re at it, you might as well check out Quilty’s adoption page to learn more about the sneaky cat and his likes (head pets) and dislikes (closed doors).
But unfortunately for any prospective adopters out there, this kitty might have a new family.
A recent Instagram post revealed Quilty already has some potential adopters and is currently spending a week with them as part of a sleepover program with the shelter to see if he’s the right fit for their family.
And judging from this update, he fits pretty perfectly: “[Quilty] is doing really well. He hasn’t tried to hide at all and loves to be in the bed or on the couch snuggled up with one of us. He is the most loving and affectionate cat I have ever met!”
h/t: Facebook | Friends For Life Animal Rescue and Adoption Organization – Houston
