Alex moved to the neighborhood in 2020 during the pandemic. 

“It was a tough time, but I came to look forward to my neighborhood walks and having everything you could need within a stone’s throw,” she says. 

She loves being right by the BeltLine and the park—and, of course, having Bangkok Thai just around the corner.

Tony is an orange short-haired tabby boy who will turn five in May 2026. Fun fact: only about 20% of orange cats are female, so odds are your favorite orange cat is a boy—just like Tony.

Tony’s journey to Alex began in 2021 in Gainesville, Georgia. Alex’s mother returned home from work and thought she heard a cat, despite the family not having one. Investigating with a flashlight, they discovered a tiny orange head wedged beneath the hood of her car (thankfully nowhere near the engine). Once freed, Tony hid in the garage before being lured out with tuna and gently cleaned up.

With limited foster options in Gainesville, Alex’s sister brought him to Atlanta. 

“He came into my condo one day and has not left my heart ever since,” Alex says. 

At just under two months old, Tony weighed barely over one pound. He has since bulked up—enthusiastically—and developed a serious love of food.

Alex initially thought Tony was a girl and named him “Bitsy.” A vet visit quickly corrected that. His big, pleading eyes reminded her of Puss in Boots from Shrek, voiced by Antonio Banderas—hence “Tony.” Being a Sopranos fan sealed the deal.

Nicknames followed: “Little Tony Romo” (although Alex is an avid Giants fan), “Baba,” “Chunky Boy,” and the family favorite, “Big Chungus.” 

At one point, Tony weighed a whopping 16 pounds, but he’s now a healthy 12—still spoiled with treats, just no longer free-fed.

Tony is an exceptionally expressive cat. “You can always tell exactly what he’s thinking by his eyes and ears,” Alex says. 

He can be shy at first, but treats and head scritches win him over. He prefers being an only child, though he tolerates visits from his cousin Winston—whose bold personality sometimes irks Tony, especially when treats are involved.

Like many orange cats, Tony is very much a “one-person” cat. He’s deeply attached to Alex and loves being carried on her hip like a toddler. 

A close second is his sitter, Andie from Mellow Tails, whom he warmed up to quickly and who gives Alex peace of mind when she travels for work.

Tony will do almost anything for food—including sitting on command. Alex taught him during COVID, and within a week, he nailed it. 

His favorite foods? Shredded cheese—and surprisingly, lettuce. He loses his mind when Alex chops romaine or pulls out a bag of spinach.

During a neighborhood move, Alex thought Tony was safely in a bedroom—until he vanished. After frantic searching, movers found him wedged inside the sectional sofa, a go-to hiding spot when he’s nervous.

As an indoor cat, Tony doesn’t roam, but he adores his patio overlooking Monroe Drive. He can spend hours sunning himself, watching neighbors and dogs, or intensely stalking the ever-taunting squirrels.

If Tony could choose any outing, Alex believes he’d love a sunny park visit—observing people and plotting his squirrel strategy. And given his passion for food? The grocery store might be his version of paradise.