Exotic Shorthair Cat Sparks $25,000 Custody Battle Between Former Roommates

NEED TO KNOW

Two former roommates, Jessica Yang and Nicole DeNardo, became embroiled in a custody battle over a small exotic shorthair cat named Gary

When the pair's lease was nearing its end, Yang alleged that DeNardo offered to take care of the cat for a while

Since it was never clear whether DeNardo taking over Gary's care was a temporary arrangement, Yang sued DeNardo in December 2024, resulting in a collective $25,000 in legal fees

A small exotic shorthair feline named Gary found himself in the middle of a $25,000 feud between two former roommates.

Jessica Yang, a nurse anesthetist who traveled for work every few weeks, and Nicole DeNardo, a woman in finance who often worked from home, had moved in together in the spring of 2022 after meeting on a Facebook group for people seekin