My wife M and I are trying to find a home for a charming two-year-old cat we call Leon.

We also call him Garden Cat because that’s how he came to us, right out of the garden in the back yard. He would keep M company as she watered, weeded, and planted, or else he’d sleep nearby on the patio. He took a liking to us and regarded our yard as a safe place to hang out. We gave him the official name of Leon because of his face; he looks just like a little lion.

He struck us immediately as having once been somebody’s cat; he was downright friendly, unlike other strays, and was ready from Day One to march right into the house with us.

Leon likes canned cat food - actually, he likes any cat food, but we feed him mostly canned, two cans a day with a handful or two of kibble as snacks. He’s rather lean and could use all the solid meals he can get.

After a while, we decided to do the responsible thing and have him neutered, vaccinated, and tested for infections and ailments, including FIV and FeLV. He passed the tests with flying colors and was very good at the Humane Society. Leon does not much like being in a cat carrier, but becomes quiet when the carrier is in a moving car.

We took him inside the house to recuperate from the neutering surgery, and he’s been there ever since because we wanted to keep him safe. Too many terrible things can happen to cats outdoors. Leon has been living for the past couple of weeks in a room upstairs and has been great about it, considering that he’s been accustomed to living outside for who knows how long. He took to the litter box easily and has not marked anything. Believe me, we would know if he had.

We would be very happy to keep him ourselves, but we already have five (!) cats living indoors. One of them is a feral kitty we’re rehabilitating, and the group isn’t welcoming of newcomers. That’s the reason we’ve had to keep Leon in one room.

To sum up: Leon has been neutered, vaccinated, and house-trained; he’s playful, sociable, and terribly affectionate. He’s just a great cat who really deserves a loving home. He hopes, and we hope, that you’ll consider adopting him. If you live in the St. Louis area and you’re interested, please contact me and we’ll arrange an introduction.

He’ll just catch a quick nap before you show up.