Don’t Forget About Fido and Fluffy!

In the ultimate rags-to-riches story, a former stray cat named Tommaso has become the world’s richest feline. His human friend, Maria Assunta, died last month at age 94 and left him a staggering $13 million in her will. The tomcat’s new assets include not only cash but also properties and land throughout Italy.

This touching story reminds us of the strong bonds that we forge with our animal companions as well as the importance of adopting companion animals rather than buying them from pet stores. While somewhat outlandish, no doubt, it also shows us that we should have a plan in place for the animals we share our home with in case the worst happens.

As Maria’s health started to falter two years ago, she set about making sure that her beloved Tommaso would always be taken care of. Her original plan was to find a suitable animal charity or shelter to donate the money to, in return for peace of mind in knowing that it would look after Tommaso. Unable to find anything suitable, she instead decided to bequeath her estate to her beloved cat, with her trusted nurse of many years assuming the role of guardian.

Who would care for your animal companions if something were to happen to you? Domesticated animals cannot simply return to the wild and rely on their instincts. They rely on us, and who are we to let them down?

Posted by Robert Fry