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“He Just Appeared”: 30 Pet Owners Prove That The Cat Distribution System Is Working Perfectly
Interview
I proudly labeled myself as a “dog person” for the vast majority of my life. I loved all doggos, 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 their behavior, 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, many cat owners have found themselves in similar situations, suddenly ending up with companions that they didn’t expect. Redditors have recently been sharing wholesome 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 include affiliate links.
#1
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 a**hole 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 a**hole.
His name is Beagle after Darwin’s boat.
RELATED:
#2
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.
#3
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 user Little_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."
#4
I went in intending to adopt a cat from a litter that had been living on a friend's back porch, and I had one picked out, but I had been reading about how to make a good happy home for him and was debating adopting two from the litter so he had someone to hang out with while I was at work, but my friend wasn't sure if the others would be good for it - they were MUCH more skittish with humans they didn't know, and I wasn't going to force it with a cat who wasn't vibing with me.
I shouldn't have worried, because when I went over there to pick up my intended cat and meet the others if they would allow me, one of them - the runt of the litter, a shy tiny girl with more of a squeak than a meow, who had according to my friend had always dashed away immediately when she saw a strange person, immediately approached me, squeaked, and started climbing up my jeans, up my jacket, placed herself in my arms and started gnawing on my nose, and the decision about taking them both was made for me. That was a little over three years ago now and not a single night has passed that she hasn't curled up on my pillow and made herself a little teddy bear for me, she's just the sweetest little baby.
JK 1 month ago
Runts are so loving and loyal. Many years ago when I was living in Minneapolis and walking to work, this guy was hanging out of a window and kept asking me if I wanted a kitten. Finally after a few days I said "OK, I'll take it" because he used the old "it's going to the pound" routine. So I walked a few blocks back home with her in my arms and introduced her to Neal, my crazy tabby. Beautiful white cat with eyes like the Aurora Borealis, so you can guess what her name was. Took her to the vet and luckily she was declared a "beautiful specimen". They both lived in four states with me. :)
#5
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".
#6
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."
#7
When I was studying at university, a buddy of mine told me that his sister had found a cat while mushroom picking. He was around 7 months old and roaming the forest all by himself. I never had a pet before but he stole my heart and I took him in. Patrick is turning 10 this April.
#8
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.
"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."
#10
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.
#12
My kids had just gotten out of school and had decided to walk home. They were in high school and I was already at work for a 16 hour shift. They saw a little black kitten run into the wheel well of a stopped car. They got the driver's attention and they all got the kitten out. The driver couldn't take him, so my kids brought him home. Next thing I know, I'm getting a call at work that started, "Mom, we did a thing..."
River will be ten next year and is still loved by all of us.
"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.
#13
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.
#14
My oldest kid pet a stray on a walk, she is now lounging on my bed
#15
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.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
This sounds similar to how I got my black cat Kohl :) She appeared in the parking lot of my family business's office and just walked into our office (we always left the back door open during the day.) She had two collars on (one was a red bow tie, one was a purple thing that said "meow") but no tags/ID, and she wasn't chipped. I fed her for a few days, keeping her inside the office at night for safety, and put up "Found Cat" posters, alerted my city's shelter, and the local vet offices that I had found a cat. No one claimed her or reported her missing, and so I adopted her, got her vet care, and had her chipped! I had an old kitty (18 years old) at the time, so Kohl was our "office cat" for a while - I'd leave her in the office overnight, but she had a litterbox and all the amenities in one of the side offices. 8 years later she's now the matriarch of my cat clan and my best buddy! :) kohl_at_of...cb7321.jpg 
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."
#16
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.
#17
He showed up to the back porch. We liked his style. He hung around and apparently liked our style too.
OzzyTheMano (They/Them) 1 month ago
hanging with the cool cats, they got a lot of this, and a lot of that
#18
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."
#19
My Tiny Cat (Cleopatra) And my Ceasar cat
Tiny 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.
#20
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.
barbara Nivens 1 month ago
The neighbors found ours on the road where he'd been dumped. He was a mess, the vet had to remove an eye. He was 5 weeks old, he'll be 2 on April 1st. We'd been discussing adopting a senior cat, hubby had mentioned this to the neighbor over the fence the day before. The next morning the two woke me up holding the tiniest ugliest little black ball. Instant love. The neighbors run their own TNR and feed the feral cats. They have self heating beds in the shed for them. It was -6° at 6:30 am not long ago.
#21
A mama and her four newborn babies, found by the janitor in the storage building.
#22
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.
TruthoftheHeart 1 month ago
Aww that means the mama cat was probably lost or dumped, if she was social and desperate for human comfort while in pain and such from labor then she definitely wasn't wild.
#23
She was hanging around our backyard eating what I left outside for another neighborhood wanderer . Just before a frigid snap last December she was becoming more vocal and we figured out she was not an outdoor cat . We were working with someone that thought she may be her lost cat . That would have made our Christmas ! Turned out she wasn't and she was four paw declawed ! I posted her several places , had her checked for a chip etc . In the meantime she won us over so....now she owns the place 😁 Named her Holly since it was a week before Christmas .
Beth Wheeler 1 month ago
Poor baby had no defense except her teeth. Declawing a cat is barbaric, it's the same as cutting off our fingers.
#24
My ex-husband was visiting some friends in the boonies. Their neighbor down the road had moved away and left their cat, literally out in the woods. He was obviously old and fully domesticated. My ex is a royal a*s, but even he couldn't leave that cat to get eaten by coyotes. So, kids came home from dad's with a cat. I've had my fair share of cats, and he's far and away the sweetest, most loving kitty I've ever had. Turns out he is diabetic and has a heart murmur, so also the most expensive cat I've ever had.
#25
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
Lila Allen 1 month ago
So cute. My garbage cat turned out to be a mixed feral and bobcat, but we found him as a 3 week old kitten and didn't know. By the time we did, we loved him so he stayed.
#26
He turned up on my late grandmother's driveway in early 2017. He was chipped but nobody answered any of the registered numbers. His address was a very long way from there, too. He'd walked a long way and found himself a cat-friendly home. We figured he'd been a***ed by his previous family and abandoned. My grandmother took to him immediately despite his quirky behaviour (which we slowly trained him out of through tolerance and understanding). 6 years later he is my best friend and soul cat; I took him in after my grandmother had a stroke, and promised her I would take care of him. Coming up on 2 years in his new home with me and he's very happy. Bet even he couldn't predict how perfect a home he found when he scoped out the house all those years ago.
Carianne Sanders 1 month ago (edited)
A couple years ago was living with my two dogs (mother & daughter) and a big tuxedo cat that I had rescued off the street when Three black cats showed up.. and one was pregnant. I have a safe yard so I fed them and she had her kittens.. two little black girls! I know it was too soon, but about five weeks later a neighbor took the babies and I had the kitties spayed and neutered and brought them inside. Babies are doing great with their catdad and I'm loving my three voids.
#27
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
#28
Dumpster in an alley in Philadelphia. The other one was from a shelter after being saved from a hoarding situation
detective miller's hat 1 month ago
I had a Philly alley cat for a while. We called her Munkmunk, she lived with my roommate and me for almost a year, and then one day she left and went to live with people on the other side of the back courtyard. [little traitor!!] One of our neighbours, an older gentleman said that Munkmunk had been around for like 5 years at that point and would just randomly choose to live with different people on that block.
#29
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
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I'm technically allergic to cats AND dogs. XD I have two large-breed dogs and five cats. Turns out that if you have allergies, you can sometimes build up a tolerance to specific individual animals!
#30
I found my baby in the parking lot where i work. He had been hit by a car and had a broken hip. I took him to my vet for help. When i called that night they said he was pretty bad and probably wouldn't make it. I never called back because i didnt want to know. Fast forward a month and the vet calls me. They had found his owner and the cat made it just fine. However when the bill became too high the owner decided he couldn't be bothered any longer and abandoned the kitty. The vet asked me if i still wanted him. And i said YES! Its been six years now. We call him Rhodey for two reasons. Because he was hit on the road and for the comic book character in the movies who was hurt and had to learn to walk again. Col. James Rhodes aka Rhodey.
Poll Question
What is the most surprising aspect of owning a cat?
Their affectionate nature
Their independent behavior
Unexpected companionship
Still learning about them
What do you think ?
Offbeat Quinoa 1 month ago (edited)
I took my garbage out one cold winter night and left my door open a crack - when I got back there was a cat in my living room. All I had was leftover turkey from Christmas, which he loved, so I named him Turkey and he wouldn’t leave 😂 sadly a few weeks later when I finally got him to the vet he had some pretty serious health issues and had to be put down but it was a lovely warm cozy snuggly 3 weeks for the poor little stray. I was so sad after he passed that my mom went out and found me 2 kitten brothers because she wanted to make me smile again 🥹 Steve and Luka are 3 years old now and my best friends.
Amilah CrackcornandIdontcare 1 month ago
You and your mother are angels. That baby got a sweet home until his passing, and then two more babies got a loving home due to him and your mom! 10/10 family you're both amazing
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I have one Parking Lot breed cat, one Shelter breed cat, two Craigslist breed kittens, and one Rescue breed kitten XD (Kohl, Preacher, Rook, Lucanis, and Riker, respectively!)
LauraDragonWench 1 month ago
My old man, a long-haired void turning 18 this year, was adopted from the local shelter with his brother, but the brother was a complete shelter cat - while Ramses settled in and claimed the place within 30 minutes, his brother never did, even after a month. As much as it hurt me, I returned him to the shelter (he was adopted successfully a few months later - apparently he needed a single cat household). Ramses was alone for years and although he never showed signs of being lonely, I kept worrying about him. Then my friend in Ohio (I was in NC at the time) rescued a kitten from the colony at their apartment complex and told me, "I can't adopt him so you're going to." And that's how I got Mercury Rocket, a 27 lb grey tiger of a tabby who's a wussy, adorable goofball. When I picked up Mercury, that's when Aurora showed up. My friend fostered her until I could get everything ready and bring her home. CDS success story #27146.
Offbeat Quinoa 1 month ago (edited)
I took my garbage out one cold winter night and left my door open a crack - when I got back there was a cat in my living room. All I had was leftover turkey from Christmas, which he loved, so I named him Turkey and he wouldn’t leave 😂 sadly a few weeks later when I finally got him to the vet he had some pretty serious health issues and had to be put down but it was a lovely warm cozy snuggly 3 weeks for the poor little stray. I was so sad after he passed that my mom went out and found me 2 kitten brothers because she wanted to make me smile again 🥹 Steve and Luka are 3 years old now and my best friends.
Amilah CrackcornandIdontcare 1 month ago
You and your mother are angels. That baby got a sweet home until his passing, and then two more babies got a loving home due to him and your mom! 10/10 family you're both amazing
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I have one Parking Lot breed cat, one Shelter breed cat, two Craigslist breed kittens, and one Rescue breed kitten XD (Kohl, Preacher, Rook, Lucanis, and Riker, respectively!)
LauraDragonWench 1 month ago
My old man, a long-haired void turning 18 this year, was adopted from the local shelter with his brother, but the brother was a complete shelter cat - while Ramses settled in and claimed the place within 30 minutes, his brother never did, even after a month. As much as it hurt me, I returned him to the shelter (he was adopted successfully a few months later - apparently he needed a single cat household). Ramses was alone for years and although he never showed signs of being lonely, I kept worrying about him. Then my friend in Ohio (I was in NC at the time) rescued a kitten from the colony at their apartment complex and told me, "I can't adopt him so you're going to." And that's how I got Mercury Rocket, a 27 lb grey tiger of a tabby who's a wussy, adorable goofball. When I picked up Mercury, that's when Aurora showed up. My friend fostered her until I could get everything ready and bring her home. CDS success story #27146.
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