The Origin of Don Meowleone

The Syndicate Boss

Long before he became the feared head of the Cat Crimes Syndicate, Don Meowleone was simply known as... Don.
Life was never easy.
He was the youngest of nine brothers, born into the fifth and final litter of a remarkable Italian stray queen who had raised an astonishing 35 kittens over five litters before kind volunteers finally managed to have her neutered.
The litters had been enormous.
Litter One - 8 kittens
Litter Two - 6 kittens
Litter Three - 5 kittens
Litter Four - 7 kittens
Litter Five - 9 kittens
Out of all thirty-five kittens......only four were girls.
The family lived beneath old buildings and alleyways around St Annes, constantly moving between warm basements, hidden gardens and quiet corners behind local businesses. Every day was a battle for food, territory and survival.
The brothers fought constantly.
If they weren't wrestling each other......they were defending themselves from rival tomcats.
Cat rescue volunteers regularly patrolled the area, hoping to catch the growing colony and find them loving homes. Whenever the volunteers appeared, dozens of cats scattered in every direction before disappearing into gardens and alleyways.
For the kittens, it became a game.
For their mother......it was survival.
When Don was just twelve months old, everything changed.
One evening the volunteers arrived carrying strange metal cages.
Inside each one sat something irresistible.
Fresh pepperoni.
Don immediately recognised the traps.
He'd heard older cats whisper stories about them.
His older brother Pesto, from the third litter, had never been known for making sensible decisions.
The smell of pepperoni drifted through the air.
Don shouted."Leave it!"Pesto ignored him.
One leap...One bite...CLANG!
The metal door slammed shut.
Pesto threw himself against the bars, yowling in panic.
Don sprinted across the yard and desperately clawed at the cage, trying with all his strength to force the door open.
It didn't move.
Moments later the volunteers arrived.
One by one they lifted the traps into the back of their van.
Pesto wasn't alone.
Five of Don's brothers disappeared that night.
Don watched helplessly as the van drove away.
Silence settled over the yard.
He knew two things.
The first......Pesto had always been their mother's favourite.
The second......everyone would blame him for not saving him.
Instead of going home...Don disappeared.
For weeks he wandered St Annes alone.
He already knew how to survive.
Years of growing up with eight brothers had taught him everything.
He could fight.
He could bluff.
He could spot a cheat.
He could even cheat better than the cheats.
Most importantly......he could cook.
Not because he was naturally gifted......but because Pesto had taught him everything he knew.
Whenever their mother disappeared in search of food, Pesto would sneak into the back alleys behind the Italian restaurants, watching chefs through open kitchen doors. He memorised every movement, every ingredient and every recipe he could.
Every evening, he taught Don what he had learned. Together they perfected pizzas, pasta and every Italian dish they could recreate from memory.
By the time they were grown, the two brothers could make the finest pizzas and pasta in St Annes... although Pesto always laughed that no pizza was complete without pepperoni... and Don never argued.
One evening he caught the smell of garlic, tomatoes and freshly baked pizza drifting through the streets.
Following the scent, he discovered a brand new Italian café.
The basement door had been left slightly open.
Curiosity got the better of him.
He slipped inside.
The basement was quiet.
In one corner sat an old wooden table surrounded by a handful of battered chairs.
Dust covered everything.
Most cats would have seen an empty basement.
Don saw......an opportunity.
Over the following months he quietly transformed the forgotten basement into something entirely different.
The old table became a meeting place.
The battered chairs became seats of power.
Cats looking for protection found work.
Cats looking for food found family.
Cats looking for trouble found plenty of both.
Word spread quickly through the streets.
If you needed help...You visited Don.
If you owed somebody money...You visited Don.
If you wanted a favour...You visited Don.
Within a year...Even his own brothers had started coming to him for work.
Today, Don Meowleone controls one of the most respected criminal organisations in Cat Crimes history.
He believes loyalty is earned.
Respect is never given freely.
And every meeting......begins with excellent food.
Those who know him well still say he'll occasionally place a slice of pepperoni on an empty chair before important meetings.
Nobody has ever asked why.