Post date: Dec 12, 2011 3:34:13 PM
Cats in Rome look pretty smug as their feline friend Tommaso inherits 10 million euro.
Cats in Rome were looking pretty pleased with themselves on Monday (December 12) after news that a feline friend had just become a millionaire.
ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 12, 2011) (REUTERS) - Rome's Largo Argentina square is famously known as a place where stray cats can find a last-minute dinner.
At the square's cat shelter, most inhabitants strolled around the ancient Roman ruins as though they owned the place.
Tommaso, who goes by his pet name "Tommasino", was left some 10 million euro by his owner Assunta after her death. He also inherited a manor in an elegant suburb on the outskirts of Rome, two apartments in Rome and Milan, various current accounts and a piece of land in Calabria, in the South of Italy. After months of following the European economic crisis, Italian newspapers ran incredulous headlines about the cat.
"The cat earns a millionaire inheritance" ran one headline. "The fairy tale of Tommasino the cat from a stray to a millionaire", said another. One newspaper headline read: "No children or family, the cat inherits 10 million."
Rome residents were sceptical about the cat owner's decision.
"I would have never done it for a cat. Not for cats. I would have left something for the cats and the rest would have gone to people in need. I can't accept something like that," said Liliana Carbonara.
Another woman Angela Pisu said she was an animal lover but still could not understand the gesture.
"It's an anomaly but she must have loved her cat a lot. She confused the cat with a person. I love animals but it seems like an exaggeration."
Some people wished the cat good luck.
"Evidently her neighbours weren't very nice. At least the cat probably deserves it," said Luca Gianni.
No information was available on how Tommasino plans to spend his money. He has been rather reluctant to show himself in his neighbourhood.