Gator In A Hot Tub: Landlord Gets Surprise While Evicting Tenant

KANSAS CITY, MO — A Missouri landlord stumbled upon an unwanted house guest while evicting a tenant: a large alligator in a hot tub.

The tenant described the 150-pound reptile as "gentle as a puppy" after animal control workers were called to the Kansas City home on Wednesday. The workers also found two boa constrictors and a rabbit.

The Kansas City Star reports a specialist removed the alligator, which was at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. No one was injured.

The tenant, Sean Casey, said he'd owned the alligator for four years and named it Catfish. He called the reptile "a big cuddly lizard."

A spokesman for the city's Neighborhood and Housing Services Department says Kansas City doesn't allow homeowners to have alligators.

Catfish will be temporarily housed at the Monkey Island Rescue and Sanctuary in nearby Greenwood. The snakes and rabbit were taken to an animal shelter.

Photo: A 6-foot-long, 150-pound alligator is seen Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. The alligator, named Catfish, was found in a hot tub by a landlord evicting a tenant in Kansas City, Mo. The tenant, Sean Casey, described the alligator, named Catfish, as "gentle as a puppy." The alligator was removed by animal control workers, and will be temporarily housed at the Monkey Island Rescue and Sanctuary in nearby Greenwood. (Tammy Ljungblad/The Kansas City Star via AP)