Skittish abandoned orange feline finds food left on a third story balcony and keeps returning every day, until finally he lets the responsible human pet him then carry him inside: ‘You're home now, Mikan’

Hey there, feline enthusiasts. Boy oh boy do we have a tear-jerker in store for you today. Some stray cats aren't looking to be saved. They're survivors, wary, proud, and perfectly capable of navigating the world on their own terms. They've been let down before. They've learned not to trust too easily. But sometimes, for reasons only they understand, a stray cat will choose one human.

Mikan wasn't looking for a home. He'd been abandoned, left to fend for himself through freezing winters and scorching summers. He learned how to dig through garbage, how to avoid people, how to sleep with one eye open. He didn't need help. But when he found a dish of food left out night after night, something changed.

At first, he came just to eat. Quietly. Cautiously. But then he began to linger. He started to recognize the human who filled the dish. He studied him. Trusted him. And one day, he meowed a soft hello. That day turned into weeks of brushings, gentle words, and warm meals. Until one evening, the human picked him up, and Mikan didn't run. He purred. This orange cat didn't come looking for a human. But he found one anyway. And now, after all he's been through, Mikan doesn't have to sleep in the cold or watch his back. He has food, safety, and someone who calls him by name. He's home now. And our hearts are full of fuzzy good feelings just knowing that Mikan will never again have to suffer.

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"The Journey of the Abandoned Orange"

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THE STORY, FROM OP:
Hear ye, a tale of sorrow and joy—of one dear 🍊 soul abandoned by those meant to care for him.
He once had a home and a human to trust, but they left him behind. Confused and heartbroken, he cried out in sorrow, not understanding what he had done to deserve such a fate. He endured the freezing cold of winter, the scorching heat of summer, and grew wary of people he once trusted. He fought to survive—scavenging through garbage, drinking from murky puddles and runoff. A few kind strangers began to notice him and left out water and bits of kibble. It helped, but it was rare and unpredictable.
Then one night, during his wanderings, he climbed up to the third floor of a building and found a full dish of food and water. Surprised and thankful, he ate his fill. When he returned the next night, the food was there again. And again the next day. He had found a steady source of nourishment—and he stayed close.
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CONTINUED:
One evening, he was there when the human who filled the dish emerged. The orange boy watched cautiously. The human smiled and spoke gently. Mikan felt no fear. Days turned into weeks, and trust slowly grew. One day, as he ate, the human came out again—this time with a plate and a can. KRRR-POP! The delicious smell of chicken and gravy filled the air. Mikan paused, then began to eat. He looked up, wary, but the human’s eyes were kind. He devoured the meal like he hadn’t eaten properly in ages.
Soon, the gentle human began to reach out while Mikan ate. A stroke on the head. A hand on his back. The first time, Mikan flinched—but didn’t run. Over time, the pets became part of the routine. Eventually, Mikan began to rest near the door. He’d call out with mighty meows when the dish was empty. One day, the human greeted him as usual—"Hello, Mikan"—and brought out a brush. A furminator. As the tool passed along his back, clouds of orange fur floated like tumbleweeds. Mikan purred like thunder. This was heaven.
Then came the moment of truth. The human gently picked him up. Mikan did not fight. He purred in the human’s arms. He was placed in a carrier, wide-eyed but not afraid. At the vet, he was examined, vaccinated, bathed, and pampered—a full spa day. When it was over, the human came back. Mikan thought he would be returned to the outdoors. But this time, the human brought him inside.
“You're home now, Mikan,” he said.
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