The Story of Leif Erikkson, the Cat

Leif is a handsome 2 yr-old tabby and former leader of the local cat colony that terrorizes Metro Paws Animal Hospital in Oak Cliff.

He started out very shy but soon realized we were a steady and reliable source of food.

As the colony got more and more comfortable with the Metro Paws staff, they were strategically trapped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered, and released back into the wild parking lot.

Leif would test his boundaries everyday, each time asserting his dominance over the staff by knocking on our door and demanding that his village have their bowls refilled. 

It was common to see Leif and the other cats take naps on client vehicles, making it very clear to everyone that they could not possibly care less about any kind of social graces or common decency.

Eventually, Leif became comfortable enough let the staff pet him and would often hang out near the front door of the clinic to watch the dogs go by and taunt them relentlessly. 

At closing, Leif would come inside and hang out with the staff to make sure all our work was being done diligently and efficiently. He liked to roam the clinic and explore the facility. 

On one occasion, deep into the night, Metro Paws Oak Cliff had an intruder alert. Security had been breached! Upon our speedy arrival, we discovered that the criminal trespasser was in fact the infamous Leif Erikkson! Leif had managed to sneak inside after hours, unbeknownst to the staff, and had decided that spending the night would be best. Unfortunately, Leif was reprimanded by our practice manager since we did NOT want the cops to make an arrest that night.

At this point, Leif had to be banned from coming inside. This did not last very long; who would have thought that an entire veterinary practice could be bent to the will of a local feral kitty? However, this did open our eyes to the fact that Leif may be better with an official owner and renounce his title as king of the ‘Parking Lot Ferals’. 

Dr. Lavender instantly had someone in mind that would be able to handle Leif and his assertively playful personality. An interview had to be scheduled with Leif as soon as possible. We cleared his very busy schedule and made sure to take note of all his needs and prerequisites. His new owner would have to exceed expectations in the following: 

  • Pets/belly rubs
  • Food that is both nutritious and delicious
  • Stay still while he makes biscuits
  • Cuddling

Luckily, the interview with the new owner went great and Leif’s requests could be satisfied.

Now, Leif is happily terrorizing a single home as opposed to an entire veterinary clinic staff and clientele.

He will on occasion be sure make visits to his favorite group of gals and pals at Metro Paws Animal Hospital in Oak Cliff.