Lucky black cat


Italian cat inherits €10m fortune

Tommaso, a four-year-old, one-time stray from Rome, is thought to have become the world's richest cat.

Since the death of his 94-year-old mistress last month, he has become a property magnate — or perhaps mognate — with flats and houses worth an estimated €10m scattered from Milan in the north to Calabria in the south.

In a handwritten will, signed on 26 November, 2009, Tommaso's mistress — the childless widow of a successful builder — gave her lawyers the task of identifying "the animal welfare body or association to which to leave the inheritance and the task of looking after the cat Tommaso".

One of the lawyers, Anna Orecchioni, told the Rome daily Il Messaggero they considered several organisations without getting adequate guarantees of the cat's future comfort and welfare. In the meantime, the old lady met a fellow cat-lover – named only as Stefania – in a park. "Sometimes I'd go to her house so my cat could play with Tommaso," Stefania said.

As the old lady became increasingly frail, Stefania, a nurse, began to take care of her.

"She needed someone to help her move around, shower and eat. I looked after until the end," she said.

Under Italian law, animals cannot inherit directly. But they can be beneficiaries if a suitable trustee is found. The elderly widow decided to entrust the cat – and his fortune – to Stefania.

Tommaso's trustee, who is now looking after him an undisclosed address outside Rome, said: "I had no idea the signora had such wealth."

But the fortune pales by comparison with that of Gunther IV, an Alsatian who inherited from his father Gunther III, the pet of a German countess. According to the Pet Gazette, he is worth around $372m.

The richest cat was previously thought to be Blackie, who was left £9m by his reclusive British owner in 1988.



Vocabulary:

a stray -

to scatter -

a will -

a widow -

welfare (n) -

in the meantime -

fellow (adj) -

frail (adj) -

a trustee -

to entrust sth to sb

to pale by comparison -

to inherit sth from sb -

to be worth -


What's the situation in Spain? Can you leave your inheritance to whoever you want? Even a pet?

A black cat in Scotland is actually good luck.


Are you superstitious? What are symbols of good or bad luck?

Comments

Lucy said…
Hello Grahan,
sorry, it's very later

This article is very interesting for me. I never has seen a short article whit a lot of new vocabulary words. I have learned very much,

Bye, Lucía
lucy said…
hello,

This article is very interesting for me. I never have seen a short text with a lot of new words inside.

I'll hope learn these words for another article in the future. (I can say "next article")

Bye, Lucía

Sorry, this is my second comment, I thought the first was strayed but I think the problem is that my comments have to be check for you.
Anonymous said…
Hi Graham. This is Enrique, from Ministery of Justice. I've read this article and I think It's ironic that many people have nothing to eat, and there is a rich cat...
See you in class. Bye.
Graham said…
Hi Pili!

It's GrahaMMMMMM here. :D

Welcome to the blog!

You are like me in that you leave things to the last moment.

Did you read the complete article? Click on the main title to see the original in full.


I FOUND THIS ARTICLE VERY INTERESTING. I HAVE NEVER SEEN a short text with SO MANY NEW WORDS.

I HOPE TO learn these words for another article in the future. (I can say "next aricle")

You can say "THE NEXT ARTICLE". We omit "the" with days of the week. eg. See you NEXT TUESDAY!

Bye, Lucía

Sorry, this is my second comment, I thought the first ONE WENT ASTRAY but I think the problem is that my comments have to BE CHECKED BY you.


I hope you enjoy using the blog and find it useful. You can look under "labels" and "archives" to see older posts; you don't have to do just the most recent ones.

See you in a bit!
Graham said…
Hi Enrique,

I just have enough time to reply to the one comment before showering and running to class.

I see from the time that you posted that you don't get much sleep either. :-)


I understand your point but I think the woman was right to leave her money to her beloved cat. It's just a pity that she couldn't find a charity that she could trust so that other cats could have a little luxury.


I'll reply to your other comments later.

See you in a bit!
Anonymous said…
Good morening Graham!It´s Cristina, I think this is ridiculous, a cat doesn´t need the money to have a good live. A lot of people is dieng everyday because of hunger and I am sure there are many ways to leave your cat in a good and safe place and She could spend her fortune for helping other pleople which need more than a lovely cat...
Graham said…
Cristina,

You are absolutely right - a cat doesn't need so much money. However, they couldn't find an animal charity that could be trusted to use the money well (hardly surprising in Italy) so I respect the final decision.

We are all guilty of spending money that could otherwise be spent to help people who aren't as fortunate. I think animals are equally deserving of charity.


I think this is ridiculous, a cat doesn´t need the money to have a good LIFE. A lot of PEOPLE ARE DYING everyday because of hunger ... She could spend her fortune BY helping other pleople which need more than a lovely cat...
Montse said…
I love animals and I know that some of them are better than some people but when I think about how many children die in Africa daily because of they don’t have food or they lack vaccines I can’t agree with the woman’s decision. I can’t believe that she couldn’t find an ONG or whatever another humanitarian association to give them her inheritance.
Graham said…
Of course you are right Montse. However, I think it is a sad reflection on society that she felt that she had to do such a thing.

I get angrier when I see footballers and the like, SQUANDER their millions. Apparently this woman LEAD A SIMPLE LIFE despite her WEALTH.


.. but when I think about how many children die in Africa daily BECAUSE THEY don’t have food ... I can’t believe that she couldn’t find an NGO or whatever OTHER humanitarian association to give them her inheritance.


"because of" + nouns