Julian Assange has been called a lot of things.
Some call the WikiLeaks founder a modern day folk hero who blew the whistle on world superpowers. Others call him a dangerous criminal who has abused his power to support corrupt leaders.
Now, Ecuador is calling him a bad cat parent.
Assange has lived inside Ecuador’s London Embassy since 2012, when he was granted asylum after unsuccessfully fighting extradition to Sweden. But six years later, it seems that he may have finally worn out his welcome.
Recently, the Ecuadorian government laid out a set of house rules in a memo obtained by the Guardian. In addition to promising to stop meddling in the affairs of foreign governments, Assange was instructed to tidy his living quarters, do his laundry and clean up after his cat, Michi.
If Assange fails to provide for Michi’s “well-being, food and hygiene,” his pet will be rehomed, the memo states. Like many a fed-up caretaker, the embassy has also put Wi-Fi privileges at stake, citing concerns about Assange’s internet usage.
While in asylum, Assange has shared photos of Michi on Twitter and Instagram, frequently captioning the posts with playful cat puns. According to his Twitter bio, Michi follows in the footsteps of his dad, citing an interest in “counter-purrveilance.” Michi T-shirts are available in the WikiLeaks shop.
Whether or not you're facing extradition, it's important to keep your cat's litter box clean. Cats are naturally clean creatures, and many will refuse to use a dirty box, leading to bad bathroom habits. In order to avoid potential problems, scoop your cat's litter at least once a day, and completely change the litter every two weeks.