Syracuse, NY -- A Brewerton cat lover has gone to state Supreme Court to get her former pet back, accusing its new owner of not letting Lacie sleep in bed at night.

Carol Money convinced Ryan Suser, a lawyer at Syracuse’s high-powered law firm, Bousquet Holstein, to help her go to court to get her cat Lacie back. The grieving cat mom is not looking for much money, if any.

In December 2018, the dispute over Lacie became so contentious that her current owner, Danette Romano, called police and accused Money of harassing her. No charges were filed, but a sheriff’s deputy recommended that Money stay away from Romano’s residence.

Romano, of North Syracuse, declined comment for this story. But she’s gotten her own lawyer and had a cease-and-desist letter sent to Money, ordering her to stay away from Romano’s residence.

Money and her lawyer, Suser, have also declined comment.

In the lawsuit, Money argues that Romano violated the terms of an agreement hammered out in April 2018 on a boilerplate cat-adoption form. She wants a judge to enforce a provision that would return the cat if its new owner couldn’t properly care for it.

The lawsuit describes a story of love, heartbreak and allegations of betrayal and deception.

Money rescued Lacie when she was a kitten in 2009. As the years went by, the two formed a deep bond, the lawsuit states.

“Lacie became very affectionate with Plaintiff,” Suser, the lawyer, wrote in the lawsuit. “Lacie would put her paw on Plaintiffs cheek or leg if she wanted more attention from her.”

But the cat was needy, too: she wanted to sleep in the same bed with her human mom each night. The cat would cry if she wasn’t able to.

Money became despondent when, at 72 years old, she had a medical procedure that forced her to undergo long-term treatment out of the house. Even after treatment, Money couldn’t lift Lacie into bed: she was restricted to lifting five pounds or less.

Lacie is a Norwegian Forest Cat, a larger breed that can weigh 12 to 16 pounds.

“Lacie became visibly upset that she could no longer cuddle with Plaintiff at night,” Suser wrote. “She would sit in the doorway of Plaintiffs bedroom and cry.”

Eventually, Money allowed a friend of a friend -- Romano -- the chance to audition for the role of Lacie’s new caretaker. Romano had lost two cats of her own recently. After repeated visits, Money allowed Romano to adopt Lacie.

Money made it clear she was only giving up Lacie because the cat was so sad that she couldn’t sleep in bed anymore, the lawsuit states. In April 2018, Romano filled out a boilerplate adoption application from the Central New York Cat Coalition, of which Money is a board member, the lawsuit states.

Both women signed the adoption form and Romano took Lacie home. But things did not go well.

When Money went to visit Lacie in her new home, the cat was skittish and tried to hide, the lawsuit states. Romano acknowledged the cat wasn’t sleeping in bed, saying it wouldn’t come up the stairs to the bedroom.

Money thought that was strange because Lacie had never had trouble climbing stairs in the past, the lawsuit states.

Money went back to visit Lacie every few weeks, for a total of eight visits, according to the lawsuit. Each time, Romano said that Lacie would not climb the stairs.

Things got worse in December 2018, when Romano’s husband told Money that they were leaving on vacation for 10 days and would have a neighbor watch Lacie, the lawsuit states. Money offered to watch Lacie while they were gone, but Romano and her husband refused.

Tension boiled over when Money asked about Lacie sleeping in bed.

“We don’t let Lacie sleep with us,” Romano’s husband allegedly said.

After leaving that day, Money became very upset, the lawsuit stated. She sent a flurry of emails, texts and voicemails. But Romano wouldn’t respond, the lawsuit states.

On Dec. 20, 2018, Money went back to Romano’s residence. According to the lawsuit, she identified herself a few times, but was told by Romano’s husband she had the wrong address.

That night, an Onondaga County sheriff’s deputy called Money to say that Romano had complained that she was harassing her. The deputy recommended Money not contact Romano again.

Later, Romano’s attorney sent a letter ordering Money to stop contacting her, the lawsuit states.

Money’s lawsuit accuses Romano of lying about her intention to let Lacie sleep in bed and of violating a contract over Lacie’s care, among other things.

Money’s lawyer summed up the lawsuit in a way only a lawyer could:

“Wherefore, Plaintiff respectfully seeks an order finding Defendant liable for conversion and ordering that the Contract be rescinded and Lacie be returned to Plaintiff," Suser concluded.

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