In a heartwarming display of community support, visitors to a Moscow library are gathering signatures to reinstate Marquis, a cat who has been a beloved fixture for eight years, after his dismissal following a complaint by a pensioner, Igor Pochkin.
Marquis, the resident cat of library 248-1 in Strogino, recently lost his home due to a grievance filed by Pochkin.
According to library staff, Pochkin, a regular visitor for eight years, is known for his hostile demeanor, spending his days there with his laptop.
"He's been coming here for eight years with his laptop, and no one knows what he does, but he stays until closing every day. He's very hostile to everyone, even children are afraid of him, and he's always causing scandals," shared the library employees on Telegram.
The trouble with Igor began two years ago when he started regularly lodging complaints against the library staff. On New Year's Eve, Pochkin decided to get rid of Marquis, who he claimed was disrupting his time in the library.
He wrote a complaint to the management, alleging that the cat was creating an epidemiological situation.
Despite Marquis having a veterinary passport and vaccinations, the library's management ordered the removal of the animal. Currently, Marquis is staying temporarily in a one-bedroom apartment but is reportedly missing the library.
The staff mentioned that visitors want to bring Marquis back, as he was very friendly and a favorite among patrons. Over 150 signatures have been collected requesting the return of the cat, but there has been no response yet.
