STAFFORD, TEXAS – Davis Air Conditioning and Heating which is located in Stafford is a very masculine place with strong, burly men and lots of heavy machines and equipment.
It’s also now a forever home to a stray cat and a lot of soft hearts.
The tiny feral kitty has been adopted by the staff and has become something of an office mascot. They’ve taken to the name Lupita for her in honor of Lupe Gonzales, the new guy on the job who is the one who began feeding and befriending the little fuzz ball a few weeks ago.
“She was just wondering around and I started feeding her,” Gonzales stated.
It’s been said that the way to a man’s very heart is through his stomach. The same, it appears, holds true for cats. The more Lupita got fed, the friendlier she became.
“When I go to feed her she just runs up and loves on you now,” stated Heather McCain, corporate policy manager for Davis.
Gonzales explained he started working for Davis about seven or eight months ago. Lupita soon started hanging around shortly after he started. He decided to bring a bag of cat food that he keeps in a plastic container. A box with a pet bed was also set up in a pile of discarded air conditioner casings where Lupita likes to hang out. Whenever anyone shakes the food container, Lupita comes quickly running.
Davis Air Conditioning and Heating Dispatcher Ashleigh Langley tries to hold Lupita, the feral cat that has been adopted by the staff of the company. Lupita has been slowly warming up to human contact and has become something of an office mascot.
McCain added no one knows her age but they estimate she is less than a year by her small size. A few weeks ago she had a litter of kittens, but not a single one of them survived. As responsible pet owners, the company has now planned to get her spayed. They are in the process of getting that very appointment scheduled.
In the meantime, Lupita is settling in, albeit with some hesitancy. The more food and scratches behind the ears she gets, the friendlier she seems to become.
“There are a lot of cat people here, so she gets a lot of attention,” McCain stated.
Dispatcher Ashleigh Langley picked up Lupita but that seems to have crossed the line of trust for now. A low growl and the extension of claws was a warning.
McCain informed Gonzales that he would no longer have to purchase food for Lupita. The company itself will take care of that from now on, along with picking up the tab for the spay and medical costs.
McCain explained there is another benefit to having Lupita around besides the warm, friendly feelings she brings.
“We’ve always had a rodent issue here but it’s improving with her around,” she stated.
Whether Lupita is hanging out in the yard, sleeping in her bed or just stalking the warehouse, she will always be quite welcome at Davis Air Conditioning and Heating.
“This is her home,” McCain stated.
