Man Leaves $250,000 and Home to Cats, Not Relatives

A man left $250,000 and a home to his cats but left nothing to his family, Yahoo Shine reported Thursday.

Leon Sheppard Sr. was a retired businessman from Memphis, Tenn. He died in 2012 and left behind five children, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. However, they were not the beneficiaries of his estate. Instead, his $250,000 fortune and 4,270-square-foot home went to his two cats, Frisco and Jake.

According to the instructions left by Sheppard, the two cats are to live in his gated home. They will also maintain the standard of living that they become accustomed to while in Sheppard's care. The money the two cats inherited will be used for their well being and maintenance of the home. After Frisco dies, the remainder of the money will go towards Sheppard's relatives and the welfare of the surviving cat, Jake.

The family did not provide a comment but accommodations such as these are not uncommon.

"People donate to animal hospitals and charities all the time; the only difference is that Mr. Sheppard's estate is going to specific animals," Randall Fishman, a Memphis-based attorney, told Yahoo Shine. "The amount seems exorbitant, but it's Mr. Sheppard's money, so he decides how it's allocated."