I proudly labeled myself as a “dog person” for the vast majority of my life. I loved alldoggos, and I felt that I innately knew how to communicate with them.Cats, on the other hand, were a great mystery to me. I didn’t understand theirbehavior, and I always felt uncomfortable around them. How could I predict when one was going to bite or scratch?Well, that all changed when a relative begged my partner and I to adopt the cat she had to give away. I reluctantly agreed, and upon taking him home, my life instantly changed. He is the sweetest, cuddliest, most precious angel, and I can’t imagine my life without him.As it turns out, manycat ownershave found themselves in similar situations, suddenly ending up with companions that they didn’t expect. Redditors have recently beensharingwholesome stories of how their feline friends found them, so we’ve gathered the most heartwarming tales below. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the ones that make you believe in the cat distribution system!This post may includeaffiliate links.
I proudly labeled myself as a “dog person” for the vast majority of my life. I loved alldoggos, and I felt that I innately knew how to communicate with them.Cats, on the other hand, were a great mystery to me. I didn’t understand theirbehavior, and I always felt uncomfortable around them. How could I predict when one was going to bite or scratch?
Well, that all changed when a relative begged my partner and I to adopt the cat she had to give away. I reluctantly agreed, and upon taking him home, my life instantly changed. He is the sweetest, cuddliest, most precious angel, and I can’t imagine my life without him.
As it turns out, manycat ownershave found themselves in similar situations, suddenly ending up with companions that they didn’t expect. Redditors have recently beensharingwholesome stories of how their feline friends found them, so we’ve gathered the most heartwarming tales below. Enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the ones that make you believe in the cat distribution system!
This post may includeaffiliate links.
Bastard found me. Never wanted a cat, never cared for cats until this little fuzzy kitten started appearing on my Center Console at the Marina. It would piss me off sooooooo much. Every time I’d go to go fishing or do routine maint he would be there. I’d shoo him on the dock and shooo him away. Well I’m not a complete ahole so I got him a gravity feeder and waterer. Homie lived in the boat for about four months. Then one day followed me to the car, and jumped in. That was 14 years ago. I’ve four now.Dude has been to the Bahamas three times, Dry Tortugas 6 times and who know how many miles of trolling for gamefish.Here he is as a 14yo distinguished ahole.His name is Beagle after Darwin’s boat.
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His Mom gave birth in a utility closet of a group home for the disabled I was staying at after an accident. He and his siblings were accidentally locked inside with her outside when she got startled and ran out. They survived a couple of days inside without her all alone before it was discovered. They were less than 2wks old. The maintenance guy left the door open after it was discovered hoping she’d come back. She came back that night for 1. Came back the second for 2. And the 3rd night …she didn’t come back for him. Or the next.After that I couldn’t stand it anymore. I was in this group home, still learning to walk again, using a walker, and didn’t have two nickles to rub together. I returned clothing I’d been gifted to buy KRM and bottles, and started touring him around in a basket on my walker. He learned to walk with me. He’s sleeping next to me right now.
Current cat grabbed my key ring that was sticking out of my pocket while I was petting him and took off running. Needless to say I caught him, got my keys back and locked him up for life for theft.
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit userLittle_Manager2727, who invited fellow pet owners to share where they found their kitties.“It was really to see how people came across their cats. Once I got my cat and I was introduced to the world of cat owners, it seemed like my story is like everyone else’s,” the author shared. “We get chosen, not the other way around. I have been around cats almost all my life, but I have never found one like her who still has the attitude of a cat, but a complete soft spot for me and only me. It’s curious.”
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit userLittle_Manager2727, who invited fellow pet owners to share where they found their kitties.
“It was really to see how people came across their cats. Once I got my cat and I was introduced to the world of cat owners, it seemed like my story is like everyone else’s,” the author shared. “We get chosen, not the other way around. I have been around cats almost all my life, but I have never found one like her who still has the attitude of a cat, but a complete soft spot for me and only me. It’s curious.”
Showed up on the roof one morning meowing. Stormed the house till he got in and jumped on the couch with a look like " I live here now".
A taxi driver heard little meows in the bush while on duty and found a box packed with kittens. He brought them to the local shelter. I saw their post and figured, it’s time my senior cat gets a friend. That’s how little Ollie joined our family.(Photos from the shelter’s post to his first days at home to when he turned 1 year old)
We also asked the OP why they believe so many cat owners have interesting stories of how their cats chose them. “You know right off the bat if a cat doesn’t like you or whether or not they will tolerate you,” Little_Manager2727 shared. “Also, my cat, as my post mentioned, found me off the streets in Mexico.““Someone like me would think the cat would be a lot more defensive or prone to clawing than other cats. Their intuition seems very interesting to me, and it’s always interesting how it’s used when they want to be with a certain person,” the OP continued. “I was sitting with my family on the patio, and she came straight to me. She didn’t look at anyone else or even go near anyone else, and my family is not as soft as I am.”
We also asked the OP why they believe so many cat owners have interesting stories of how their cats chose them. “You know right off the bat if a cat doesn’t like you or whether or not they will tolerate you,” Little_Manager2727 shared. “Also, my cat, as my post mentioned, found me off the streets in Mexico.”
“Someone like me would think the cat would be a lot more defensive or prone to clawing than other cats. Their intuition seems very interesting to me, and it’s always interesting how it’s used when they want to be with a certain person,” the OP continued. “I was sitting with my family on the patio, and she came straight to me. She didn’t look at anyone else or even go near anyone else, and my family is not as soft as I am.”
I grew up with cats and fell in love with them through that. My partner, however, had never had a cat. He met my sisters cats (little psychos) and it put him off. I spent months looking on local rescue sites looking for the right little kitty for us. “Just wants to be cuddled all the time” you say? Perfect! I showed him to my partner and he immediately said let’s meet him. The moment we get to his little kennel and they open the door, my partner puts his hand in to be sniffed, and this little guy shoves his whole head into his hand, flops down hard on his side, and just starts napping on his hand. My partner now says he’s a “Benny person” when you ask if likes cats or dogs.
My Garbage was found at the dumpster. He’s the love of my life.
“Even when my family told me not to get swept away in feelings (because of finances), and I walked away from her, she came back,” the author continued. “Finally, we went inside, and I tried to let it go. Eventually, we were leaving toward the end of the night, and I felt really sad. She popped up following me toward our car, but I had to keep walking away even though it tore me up inside.““Finally, my sister told me, ‘Okay… We can take her home, and if you can’t afford it, I’ll help you.’ One little ‘pspsps’ and she came right to me,” Little_Manager2727 said. “Luckily, I am able to afford it, but she still doesn’t quite open up to others.”
“Even when my family told me not to get swept away in feelings (because of finances), and I walked away from her, she came back,” the author continued. “Finally, we went inside, and I tried to let it go. Eventually, we were leaving toward the end of the night, and I felt really sad. She popped up following me toward our car, but I had to keep walking away even though it tore me up inside.”
“Finally, my sister told me, ‘Okay… We can take her home, and if you can’t afford it, I’ll help you.’ One little ‘pspsps’ and she came right to me,” Little_Manager2727 said. “Luckily, I am able to afford it, but she still doesn’t quite open up to others.”
On Reddit. Some very kind Redditors rescued this kitten but it turned out they couldn’t keep her. My husband drove to another state to pick her up. We will forever be grateful to them.
Found her in my grill in the Ash tray. Her name is Ashe
“A cat is still a cat and will have attitude, but it is almost like she knows I have a soft spot for her, so she has a soft spot for me,” the author continued. “I can fake whimper, and she immediately comes to investigate and be close to me. But if I call her name or anything else other than food bribery, she often will not bother.“Little_Manager2727 noted that she wanted to hear more heartwarming stories like this, about other cats who found their forever homes in unexpected ways.
“A cat is still a cat and will have attitude, but it is almost like she knows I have a soft spot for her, so she has a soft spot for me,” the author continued. “I can fake whimper, and she immediately comes to investigate and be close to me. But if I call her name or anything else other than food bribery, she often will not bother.”
Little_Manager2727 noted that she wanted to hear more heartwarming stories like this, about other cats who found their forever homes in unexpected ways.
He used to belong to the neighbours two doors over, but decided he’d rather hang out with me instead. Then they moved away and didn’t want him back, so that’s that.
My oldest kid pet a stray on a walk, she is now lounging on my bed
My boyfriend obtained a cat before we met and I love the story of how she ended up in his house.She was hanging around in the neighborhood, right across from a friend who used to live up the street. They gave her some cat food and she followed my boyfriend home. She just waltzed in the house and never left.She had a collar with multiple phone numbers. My boyfriend tried to call/text the numbers. One never answered and the other said they never had a cat. Oh well. Their loss. She’s an amazing cat and my boyfriend loves that she chose him.
The OP also said they really enjoyed reading all the replies to their post. “It is positive and heart warming. A lot of the pictures posted, you can almost tell the personality of each cat because they are quite expressive,” they shared. “Honestly, I loved all the posts.“Finally, Little_Manager2727 said that they want to promote adopting animals and spreading kindness even to homeless pets. “You never know if you’ll meet the pet that is meant to be with you and get a bond that is just… something else,” they told Bored Panda.“This coming from someone who was never a cat person. I loved dogs because they love easily and quick. But the love of a cat is interesting,” the author says. “Sure, mine came to me when we first met. But also in the weeks that followed after, I truly earned her love. She trusts me, and I think it’s beautiful.”
The OP also said they really enjoyed reading all the replies to their post. “It is positive and heart warming. A lot of the pictures posted, you can almost tell the personality of each cat because they are quite expressive,” they shared. “Honestly, I loved all the posts.”
Finally, Little_Manager2727 said that they want to promote adopting animals and spreading kindness even to homeless pets. “You never know if you’ll meet the pet that is meant to be with you and get a bond that is just… something else,” they told Bored Panda.
“This coming from someone who was never a cat person. I loved dogs because they love easily and quick. But the love of a cat is interesting,” the author says. “Sure, mine came to me when we first met. But also in the weeks that followed after, I truly earned her love. She trusts me, and I think it’s beautiful.”
Our oldest was a tiny, completely feral kitten we saw tramping through our yard. Took my husband weeks of food enticement to get close to her. The middle child was adopted from a shelter as a friend for her. Then the unexpected youngest was found injured beside a highway. We drove hours on a dark Saturday night to get him and take him to the emergency vet.
He showed up to the back porch. We liked his style. He hung around and apparently liked our style too.
My Mom knew that I was looking for a friend for my elderly handsome boy Mac (his brother had died about 3 months before we had to move). She was driving down an alley in our tiny town, and coaxed my sassy tortie from under a storage building. Presented her to me like a gift, and was such a good friend to my Mac. Unfortunately, Mac has passed (best cat in the world, still hurts), and now she’s my constant companion. She’s a stinker, but I love her.
“It is my dream to somehow open a shelter for homeless dogs and cats in Mexico, heal them up and find new owners for them,” Little_Manager2727 added. “While that dream is quite out of reach, I can sleep at night knowing I at least saved one. As the future comes, hopefully I can save more. But I think people should see it that way. It just takes one. While my heart breaks for the rest and many without homes and without shelter, when there is a storm, I am always grateful that at least my Sylvie is here in a loving home and safe from hunger, harm, and the elements.”
My Tiny Cat (Cleopatra) And my Ceasar catTiny cat…. was talking to a friend about maybe getting a kitten. 2 days later when she was out n about not looking where she was going and there was a kitten in the road!!! so she brought it home and called me. Well i got my kitten!We got her brother from the vet, we had just taken Tiny to get fixed and again talking to the ladies saying maybe she needs a sibling but we hadent decided yet. a few days later our vet called us as someone had left an abandond kittten and was unable to keep it so they asked if we wanted him. so thats how I got kittens all we have to do is say we want one and lo n behold they come!!!!its now almost 14 years later. our Ceasar has passed due to age but Tiny Cat is still going strong and we now also have 2, 2 yr old cats Velvet and Velcro … and our 2 dogs are 10 and 4 yrs respectivley.
I was driving to work and saw a small lump in the road. The lump moved a little bit. This is a busy 4 lane highway, but luckily no one else was too close and I was able to stop and grab her. She was about 7 weeks old and had some terrible fungal infections. We have conquered that and she is an absolute gem. Next up is to get her fixed.
I got my current cat from a local shelter. My brother once had a cat walk in off the street and give birth in his lap.
I found my youngest cat as a very hangry little kitten in my garage trying to paw his way into the small garbage bin in there
First cat - took the kids to a farm for some horseback riding, came home with one of the barn cat’s kittens that were old enough to go to homes. Couldn’t say no the little floof when the owner offered. (18 years ago now!) Second cat - a feral mother gave birth in a window well, we accepted one of the catchable ones. Only specified that it had to be one of the gingers.I’ve been praying to the CDS that a sleek black kitty will find their way into my life. I’ve always wanted one
Dumpster in an alley in Philadelphia. The other one was from a shelter after being saved from a hoarding situation
I found my tortie in my yard, under my olive tree, thin and hungry but full of tortitude. I didn’t want cats as I am allergic, so I had to ask local rescues, FB groups and contacts. Nobody had lost her, nobody wanted to adopt her. The local vet confirmed she had no owner.I wonder what wind blew her to our yard
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Of the cats we currently have:Two are from rescues. We had another girl from a shelter, but she unfortunately passed 2 months ago at 16 years old, from end stage renal failure. I’m still not over it to be honest. Not that you ever really get over it, but those who have been through it know what I mean.Two are brothers. My SIL found an abandoned litter in her crawlspace. We’ve had them since they were 4 weeks old.The last one was a stray, we think abandoned because she was spayed. Showed up on our back deck screaming for food, walked in and has made zero attempts since to leave. No collar, no chip, looked for the owner without success. She’s ours now. Was about a year old when she moved in.We had a cat who sadly passed a few years ago. We met him as a kitten wandering the parking lot of the apt complex where we then lived. Time went on, the collar disappeared and wasn’t replaced, and he began to look a little ragged. Finally my husband went to take out the trash, and found him on our doorstep, crying in the rain and bleeding from a torn ear. He moved in that night. We suspect his family moved and just left him. He was about six months when he became ours but was already huge lol, we thought he was full grown.
My husband picked out our cat, but the cat chose me. After our wedding he went to the shelter because he wanted to get me a cat as a wedding gift (this was mutual, not a surprise decision). He had a couple in mind but one, named Puma at the time stood out. “Puma” was scared of everything, aggressive, and was on the euthanasia list because the shelter couldn’t get anyone to adopt him as when they did eventually get him out of his cage he would hiss and swipe at everyone.“Puma” fistfight my husband at all, infact the first time he met the little kitty, he just reached in and picked him up, no problem. The staff was shocked.Later that day, spouse brought me to the shelter to see if “Puma” was the cat I wanted too. He told me to sit, got “Puma” out of the cage again with no issue and handed him to me.That little cat immediately snuggled into me and buried his face in my arms and cuddled. I sat in the shelter for over an hour just letting this little cat because he refused to leave my arms.Needless to say, we brought him home. He’s my best boy, sweet and loving and always snuggly with me. Not so much to anyone else lol. He’s a guard cat and will hiss and growl and defend our home from intruders. We named him Rajah and I love him more than I can say.Cat tax
my kitten, Nova, crawled under the screen door and entered my mom and stepdad’s condo one night. They already have 5 cats, and I had been wanting a kitten, so I took her. She ended up being really sick, so I feel like she chose us because she knew we’d take care of her. And she’s getting better!
I grew up with a German Shepherd, and somehow ended up drawn to jumping spiders and snakes. I raised a little snake during university.I didn’t really think about having a cat since my entire family didn’t like cats, they preferred chickens since chickens gave them eggs lol.My first cat actually saved me. There was a litter of abandoned kittens that I would occasionally feed on my way to and from work. On a particular heavy day, I was about to jump off a bridge and there she was biting at my skirt, and ever since then I backtracked and took her home instead - fostered the rest of her siblings (now in their forever homes). Of the 5 kittens, there was always 2 pairs and she was the only one without a close companion so that made me all the more drawn to her.My second, was rescued from family friends who would force-breed cats to slaughter and eat. Cat meat is a delicacy in some cultures. I snuck in and took away the only surviving kitten, the rest passed from unhygienic conditions/or were processed for consumption. The person who ran this disgusting place is still in jail thankfully. It was worth getting beaten until I was hospitalised.
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We went to dinner at a local farm/restaurant. We were walking around between courses and three kittens started following us. Of course, my kids asked if they were keeping them for mousers and the farm owners were like, “We have another litter on the way; you should take these.” And that’s how we got three cats at once.ETA: I got my dog at Dollar General, though, lol.
We looked online at who they had available for adoption, found one who seemed right. Went down to meet him, and he reacted poorly to us right away. Okay, dude, point taken. “Who else do you have?” They took us next door into the kitten room, let the three cuties out. Two ignored us completely, but one immediately climbed up my clothes to my shoulder, nuzzled into my neck. I knew I had been chosen, and that was that.
My oldest was born in front of my house, and the youngest was up in a cedar tree. Screamed her little head off for hours until I managed to figure out where she was and how to get her down.
Ours is from a rescue that found her in an abandoned old barn with a litter of kittens. She has a ‘real’ name (Harriet), but we just started calling her Mama Cat, which became Mama, so that’s what we call her.
Back when I still lived with our parents, our dogs were going nuts outside. We live out in the country so it was common for them to find a critter. Thinking it was a groundhog or something- we went outside to find a little kitten hiding in the bushes. 🥺 We originally weren’t going to keep her, we already had a freaking zoo of animals, but we couldn’t find a home and she was so sweet and small (as an adult she’s only 5lb!). Now that I have a place of my own she came with me (she was scared of the other animals).
Someone abandoned her and left her in the back of my husband’s truck while he was working overnight at Walmart. He finished his shift in the morning and found his truck was meowing.
My daughter got her online on pet finder in a rescue near us. She was at a fosters. It took her a whole year to adjust to us. She finally loves us. Because of how long it took I think she was found on the street. Most of my cats were found on the street. We only adopted twice, most we paid nothing for.
One of my cats (as a likely 3-4 month old kitten) walked in the open back door, jumped up on the couch and fell asleep. That was a little over a year ago. To this day he is the sweetest little Noddle.
Ha. I found my old boy Monty in an alley way near some dumpsters. He had definitely been on the streets for a while and I never had any idea how old he really was. He was the chillest little weirdo though and I loved our time together.
I found mine under my friend’s porch.They were from the neighborhood stray’s very last litter (they got her fixed after that).
I was standing in front of boxes full of kittens at the animal shelter. As I bent down to inspect the bottom row, I suddenly had 5 claws on my head playing with my hair. I looked up and discovered a beautiful white/red tomcat. It was love at first sight on both sides. His name was Robin and he accompanied me for many years (despite a chronic eye disease and the loss of an eye in later years).
I wanted a cat and my dad saw a newspaper ad giving away 6 month olds. 8 years later he’s my best friend still. He was the most shy cat of the bunch and I was worried no one else will give him a chance. He has a big personality around people he’s comfortable with.
Mama cat gave birth to a litter under a woman’s shed in Southeast Louisiana. She put them on Craigslist. I picked up two of them (torties) out of a cardboard box on the woman’s kitchen table. I had them for 18 and 19 years, respectively. So, basically, the trash.
She was my sister’s. Then she got a boyfriend who is allergic. Now our mom has a cat, and since I currently live with her so do I.
We found our recently departed Lucy with an old couple. She was part of a litter born under their porch but she was missing from the bunch when we went to look at them. Right before we leave, we see their grandson trying to hide something and POP comes this little grey and white fuzzball from his pocket. Kid was upset but the old couple knew they couldn’t take care of her, she spent 17 happy years with us between two houses. Our still living brat Riley, we found her living in another old couples garden shed with her siblings after they were rescued from a roadside box. She was the runt of her litter but damn she thinks she’s all that and a bag of chips.
Found a kitten on the way to work on a school project. School project didn’t get worked on that day. Cat is currently sleeping in my lap.
I knew my cat was the one for me because she came out to see me when I visited her in the foster home. She never does that. The fosterer was shocked that she came out. She doesn’t even come out for people now, and she’s been here for 3 years. So that’s how I knew she was the cat for me. She’d been in foster/shelter for like 2 years when I took her.
I found my grandma’s kitten under a car
Cat was walking up the street following a neighbour, who was going door to door asking everyone if they had lost a cat, in a blizzard last March. The cat had followed her and her kids to school and all the way home. I said I’d bring the cat inside and we could keep looking for the owners, and in the meantime posted on all the fb lost pet groups and took her to the vet to scan for a microchip. No chip and the vet agreed it was likely a stray. The neighbour came back a few hours later and said she and her husband had talked it over and decided they’d like to take the cat because their kids wanted it. I told her if she decided otherwise to let me know, and bet my boyfriend she’d be back within a day. 3 hours later she knocked on my door with a litter box, food, and treats. The kids visit Minnie all the time :)
All 3 are from different rescues. One SPCA and 2 local.
We live on a rural road not far from a housing development, and the barn is the closest building to the road. We think people dump kittens there, because we get different cats hanging around all the time.There was a big fluffy grey one I’d never seen before, running down the driveway a few days ago.None are tame enough to approach.
In a trash can filled with sawdust
Neighbors moved and left their cat behind. I found him in some bushes next door. He was the sweetest cat
My bf and I found our cat outside of our apartment next to a fence
A friends roommates cats had kittens, they were all born healthy, one day one of the kittens was paralyzed and couldn’t walk, they were going to take him to the pound, so my husband and I took himThat’s the short version
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Indrė Lukošiūtė
Animals
