Beloved cat that lived at MLB stadium for a decade is looking for a ‘retirement home’
A cat that lived at a Major League Baseball stadium in Colorado for “as long as anyone can remember” is in need of a warm, loving home where he can spend his golden years.
And it’s looking like he’ll have his pick of the litter boxes. In only one day, nine people applied to adopt the Coors Field Cat — who is also known as Smokey, Blacky, and Midnight, according to his adoption profile on Animal Rescue of the Rockies.
A team of dedicated caretakers has brought him food every day for the last decade — rain or shine.
“He has been a popular sight among fans at the ballpark” in Denver for all those years, officials said.
But now that he’s starting to slow down after years of “exploring the ballpark, chasing mice, and napping in the sun,” it’s time for him to retire “from his unofficial post as head of pest control for Coors Field.”
Staff at Animal Rescue of the Rockies are carefully finding the best retirement home for the mice-catching pro, but because he’s lived his whole life outdoors and is positive for feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV+), he’ll require special care — and someone willing to give it.
“As an FIV+ kitty he can still live a wonderful long and healthy life with good care,” his profile says. “It IS possible for FIV+ kitties to live with FIV- cats as long as everyone is spayed or neutered and they do not fight.”
Staff at the rescue organization aren’t sure how he might take to sharing an indoor space with other cats, since it’s something he hasn’t done before.
“While he’s looking for an indoor home, he would greatly benefit from a secure ‘catio’ where he can watch birds, feel the breeze, and reminisce about the good old days,” his profile says.
Staff said they’ll keep Smokey’s page up as they review applications to make sure they find the perfect home for him. But they hope all the interest in him will also inspire others to consider “harder to adopt” cats like him in his honor.
Seven of those cats — and their special needs — are pinned to the top of Smokey’s profile.
There’s Olivia, a young tuxedo cat that needs medication for seasonal allergies.
Then there’s Deb, a young, skittish black cat who was found all alone, nearly frozen and starving to death in January 2023.
Mackenzie the ginger cat needs to be the only cat in the house.
One of the cats, Mama, is a senior — which are not always as in-demand as kittens are.
Meow is a black cat with vision impairments and neurological issues that cause his hind end to wobble — and sometimes flop onto the floor.
Monel came from the streets and is still getting used to people, but he’s making progress after being in foster care for a year.
And then there’s Nini, a dilute calico who is shy and still slightly fearful of humans and loud environments after a rather rough upbringing.
“She’s not a beginner cat and can be a grouch sometimes (like the best of us) but she’s earned a special place in my heart and I know someone else out there will love her as she is too,” Nini’s foster mom wrote in her profile.
“The ideal home for Nini would include at least one extremely compassionate, patient, persistent, understanding individual that knows what trauma can do to the core and is willing to show her a different side of life.”
This story was originally published July 19, 2023 at 8:01 PM with the headline "Beloved cat that lived at MLB stadium for a decade is looking for a ‘retirement home’."
