Judge To Decide Fate Of Highfalutin Cats

Cats may have the luxury of nine lives, but do they have the right to live them in a posh penthouse?

In the weeks to come, five judges of Brazil’s Superior Justice Tribunal must decide whether three of them can continue to romp around the 5,800-square-foot apartment bequeathed to them by their owner.

When Luci Carmen Bianchi died in 1995, her will stipulated that her cats Puppy, Laika and Branquinho have all the creature comforts they were accustomed to while she was alive - including her apartment.

A local court sided with disgruntled family members who challenged the will, saying “animals do not have legal rights or obligations.” But Bianchi’s brother, Altamiro, appealed.

No date has been set for the case. In the meantime, the cats are living with Altamiro.