Homeless cat hired as ‘lawyer’ by legal regulator

‘We need more like him in the legal purrfession!’ ?⚖️

A legal regulator in Brazil has hired a homeless cat as a lawyer. Meet Dr Leon the lawyer cat.

It all started when a small stray cat took shelter from the storm in the Order of Attorneys of Brazil (OAB) building (the Brazilian equivalent of the UK’s Law Society, and responsible for the regulation of lawyers) in February. Little Leon was fed and protected in a box for a week, Bored Panda reports.

Sadly, people began to file complaints about the feline furball hanging around the reception area, and so the OAB took action: they hired Leon as a “lawyer”.

Despite never attending ‘paw’ school, lawyer cat Leon is now responsible for “welcoming newcomers” to the building (whether they like it or not), according to a post shared on Facebook by academic Dr Jeanette Laredo.

The post has gone viral: it’s been shared over 11,000 times and received nearly 30,000 likes. “This is the best thing I’ve ever heard … can I hire him as my cattorney?”, wrote one commenter, while another wrote “we need more like him in the legal purrfession!”

Then lawyer cat’s reps decided to set up an Instagram page in his name. The account, which has a whopping 55,000 followers, regularly posts snaps of the kitty dressed like a lawyer (warning: cuteness overload) in an array of bowties, ties and even a suit! He also proudly displays his very own employee card!

So what’s next for the ‘pawyer’? His human reps say it’s possible he’ll have his own office in the future. They’re also on the prowl to set up an animal rights institute in his name, ‘Instituto Dr Leon’. The motivation behind this, they say, is because as a stray kitten and the suffering he endured, Leon had a problem with his vocal cords which means “he hardly meows”. But following the care they’ve give him they hope to help even more abused and abandoned animals.

But for the time being, Leon is a valued member of the workforce and is fed regularly. His reps added:

“Today, he is very dear to everyone. Even those [that] didn’t like him got used to his presence and have fun with him. His favourite place is President Auriney’s sofa; he loves to play with his toys.”

If this wasn’t enough cat cuteness for your Friday, here are 12 delightful photos of cats behaving like lawyers.