Actor Matt Damon and his wife of almost 20 years, Luciana Damon, are generally very private. But the actor, who is releasing a new documentary, Kiss the Future, with Ben Affleck, “bared his soul” with Stephen Colbert on the Late Show. One of the topics the actor volunteered was a story about the family’s cat!
Matt Damon’s Adopted ‘Jungle Cat’
During the “Colbert Questionert” segment, Colbert asked if the actor preferred cats or dogs (see video at the end).
Although Damon implied he’s more of a dog person, with a four-to-one ratio, he went on to share the story of how the family adopted a cat while vacationing in Central America. Since he didn’t name the kitty, we’re calling him ‘Jungle Cat.’ Or is it Ben Catfleck as Celebrity Pets dubbed the kitty?
The family was staying at an Airbnb. According to the Tico Times, it was in the Pacific beach town of Santa Teresa, which they had visited before (At times with fellow actor Chris Hemsworth’s family). Pictures from the Daily Mail showed the actor, then 43, boxing and surfing, but alas, we found no pictures of the kitty. (We have instead used our imaginations with pictures of kitties in Florida via Cat Man Chris!)
Images of Damon in Costa Rica via Daily Mail/Splash News
Image via La Nacion of Damon’s trip to Costa Rica/(Meylin Aguilera)
The ‘Coolest Cat You’ve Ever Seen’
As soon as the cat appeared near their rental, he quickly won over the humans.
“We adopted this cat in Costa Rica about ten years ago,” Damon explained. “He was living by himself in the jungle; he was the coolest cat you’ve ever seen.”
While trying to survive in a jungle teeming with dangerous wildlife, the kitty had suffered serious injuries, with two “giant holes on his side,” Damon said!
“He was fighting for his life every night,” the actor said.
Image of a community cat in Florida via Facebook/Cat Man Chris
Jungle Cat Goes to Los Angeles
The family stayed at the same Airbnb for over a month, and during that time, they continued caring for the cat. When it was time to leave, there was no question that the kitty had to come home with them. Not only had they all bonded with Jungle Cat, but they feared he wouldn’t have lived if they left him behind.
“We were like, ‘This guy is gonna die.’ Now he’s relying on us,” Damon said.
Back home in Los Angeles, Damon says the cat quickly decided to become an indoor cat. Even with the option of going in the yard, “he never went outside again!”
Kitty named Shasta in Florida via Facebook/Cat Man Chris
More Challenges in the Concrete Jungle
After surviving the wilds of Costa Rica, the troubles weren’t over for the “toughest jungle cat” in the concrete jungle.
Sadly, he developed a brain tumor, but with radiation treatments, he continued fighting for survival.
“It’s the toughest Jungle Cat. I’m not going to let a brain tumor take this cat out,” Damon said.
Matt Damon and wife Luciana Barroso via Wikimedia Commons,Toronto International Film Festival for the red carpet event of movie premiere of The Martian, 2015.
Mid-treatment, Damon’s family moved to New York, where he took the cat to Chad, the “cat neurologist,” a name that amused the actor.
By then, Jungle Cat’s tumor had advanced to the point that he was thin and going in circles. It didn’t look good, so the doctor prepared Damon for a serious discussion with the kids about quality of life and saying goodbye with dignity. But as a last resort, he asked if he could try an unusually strong steroid injection, knowing there could be serious long-term side effects: juicing, as some call it.
“Chad said, ‘I could load him up on steroids. And I go, ‘What do you mean?’ He goes, ‘I mean, I could give him like a BUNCH of steroids.'”
Matt Damn appears with Stephen Colbert for a Colbert Questionert, YouTube
Jacked Like Schwarzenegger
Nobody knew what to expect. But to everyone’s surprise, Jungle Cat survived, and two-and-a-half years later, he’s still with the Damon family!
“Now he’s jacked!” said Colbert.
“Now he’s jacked, and I joke that he’s like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He’s got muscles on muscles,” joked Damon. “He looks great!”
Arnold Schwarzenegger with Hungarian actress Timea Vajna’s cat, Simba via Stars in Public:
Although the unconventional approach to treating Jungle Cat was a last resort, it seems to have worked! At least, the steroids didn’t seem to hurt the kitty’s prospects for survival.
Meanwhile, everyone online is asking to see Damon’s “Juicer Cat,” but he’s so far teased with a picture of a pooch instead.
Image via Instagram/matt_damon_official
Video by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Cats or Dogs starts at 6:11):
