AUBURN – At Pet Quarters, Jupiter the cat is king.

Two plush beds have been set up for his comfort and convenience. He has his choice of toys and treats. A cadre of minions – AKA Pet Quarters employees and customers – tell him he’s a good cat and handle his every whim.

“Oh no, he’s not spoiled at all,” joked assistant manager Jen Lewis, while Jupiter cuddled with an afghan handmade by a customer.

It’s a sweet life for the 9-year-old disabled orange tabby. But it wasn’t always that way.

Jupiter was adopted by an area family when he was a kitten from the Responsible Pet Care shelter in Norway. One day he snuck out of the house and was hit by a car, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

His new owner had a son with medical problems and couldn’t care for a disabled cat as well. Jupiter went back to the shelter.

Although he could skitter around on his own and use a small cart with wheels, Jupiter required a lot of care. He was adopted from the shelter and returned at least twice. Eventually, Responsible Pet Care stopped seeking new homes.

“They were kind of frustrated with the whole adopt-and-return thing,” Lewis said.

Over the years, Jupiter accompanied shelter officials to a couple of fundraisers and informational sessions. Some were held at Pet Quarters in Auburn.

The employees there immediately fell in love with the bold, friendly cat.

“We always absolutely adored him,” Lewis said.

Together, the workers asked to adopt Jupiter. The shelter agreed to let him live in the store for a trial period. When that went well, Responsible Pet Care made it permanent.

The shelter officially signed over ownership to the 10 employees last year.

They now share responsibility for Jupiter, taking turns changing his diaper, feeding him and ensuring he stays healthy. They split expenses, which can range from $50 a month when Jupiter is crisis-free to $450 a month when he needs vet care.

Jupiter now spends his mornings basking in the sun at the front of the store and his afternoons napping in a bed behind the counter. The rest of the day he roams the aisles, often strolling up to shoppers in a bid for attention.

“He’s like ‘Hello, pet me,'” Lewis said.

New customers usually ask what happened to his back legs. Some regulars come in just to see him.

At night, Jupiter stays in a converted dog shelter in the rear of the store. Lewis, who lives nearby and has experience rehabilitating wildlife, checks in on him when the store’s closed for holidays.

It’s an unconventional home for an unconventional cat. But the employees say it works.

And Jupiter isn’t complaining.

“We always joke that we are his servants,” Lewis said.