‘Escape master’ cat put in ‘solitary’ after letting other shelter cats out

A cat has been put in “solitary confinement” by an animal shelter for letting other cats out to roam the halls.

Friends For Life Animal Shelter in Texas explained that Quilty the cat used to let the dog out at his former home, and has been repeating these tricks now he is in a shelter, by letting other cats out of their room “several times a day”.

Posting photos of Quilty after he was separated from the other cats, the shelter said on Facebook: “Quilty will not be contained. And he has no shame.

“Quilty loves to let cats out of the senior room. Repeatedly. Several times a day.

“We have since Quilty-proofed the cat room while he took a brief hiatus in the lobby. His roommates missed him while he was banished to the lobby.”

The cat has also been featured on The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, with a correspondent calling the cat’s plight: “The Pawshank Redemption”.

Jennifer Hopkins, communications manager for the shelter, told the PA news agency: “Quilty is currently on a sleepover, which is a one-week ‘trial’ period where a potential adopter takes an animal to their home to see how it’s going to work out.”

Ms Hopkins reported that the potential adopters say the cat is “doing really well”.

She said: “It has now become contagious to a few other cats, including a soon-to-be announced Quilty protege, Jet.

“Jet is just a tiny kitten, but he is striving to become the escape master that Quilty is.”