Texas Shelter Cat Figures Out How To Open Doors And Finds A Way Out
Some cats lounge around waiting for cuddles, but not Quilty. This clever cat became famous for being what many now call a “freedom fighter.”
While most of the animals at Friends For Life, a shelter in Houston, Texas, were content in their cozy spaces, Quilty saw things differently. To him, those closed doors looked like barriers that needed to be opened. And that is exactly what he did.
It all started when Quilty carefully watched the staff at the shelter. With a sharp mind and plenty of curiosity, he learned the trick of opening doors on his own. Once he had that skill down, he decided to use it in a rather mischievous way.
He began freeing the senior cats from their rooms, much to the surprise of staff members who came in to find roaming felines who were supposed to be resting in their designated areas.
“Whenever someone would walk past his kennel, he would stick out his paw in an attempt for someone to hold it,” explained Mary Kate Hale, digital media manager for the shelter, in one of the many updates about his behaviour.
Before long, Quilty was on a full-blown door-opening spree. He was clever, determined, and not at all shy about showing off his newfound talent.
The staff quickly realized they couldn’t let him keep disrupting the routine, so they placed him in what they jokingly called “timeout.”
Quilty was separated from the other cats so the team could work on “Quilty-proofing” the doors. It was the only way to keep him from continuing his little escape missions.
As part of the shelter’s process, he also spent some time in the integration kennel, a space where every new cat is placed before joining the general population.
To most cats, this is a normal adjustment period, but Quilty wasn’t having it. To him, it felt more like punishment, and he made his displeasure clear.
Fueled by frustration, he came up with an escape plan. Unsurprisingly, it worked. In fact, it worked five separate times. Each time the staff thought they had secured him, he managed to find a way out.
Quilty might have kept getting away with it if he didn’t always return to the humans after escaping. He seemed to enjoy their company too much to run far.
Although he had mastered the art of opening doors, he hadn’t quite mastered the skill of staying out of trouble.
Whenever he was put back in his room, his annoyance was obvious. The staff, with a sense of humour about it all, affectionately described him as a “spicy a**hole.”
Outside the shelter, though, Quilty’s story took on a life of its own. Photos and posts about his adventures began spreading online, and soon he had a loyal following. People left comments of support, cheering him on and demanding his freedom.
“Quilty is innocent,” wrote NHScats.
“Yet another genius punished for not conforming to society’s rules. Free Quilty!” added RealSillyOwl.
Dozens of others echoed the same sentiment, calling him a rebel and using the playful phrase “innocent until proven Quilty.”4
Of course, staff at the shelter knew that this wasn’t Quilty’s first taste of mischief. In his previous home, he had already shown a talent for door-opening by letting pet dogs inside. Far from being a flaw, these antics only made him more endearing.
In time, Quilty’s reputation for trouble only helped him win over a new family. His “criminal record” didn’t scare them off. Instead, they welcomed him with open arms. His new owner happily shared an update not long after adoption:
“He is doing really well. He hasn’t tried to hide at all and loves to be in bed or on the couch snuggled up with one of us.”
Another update spoke volumes about his charm:
“He is the most loving and affectionate cat I have ever met!”
Quilty’s tale shows that being a little rebellious can sometimes pay off. He may not have been the most conventional shelter cat, but he certainly captured hearts around the world.
Now he spends his days with a family who adores him, proving that every cat deserves a chance to be accepted for who they are.
