‘On New Year’s Day of 2025 the Cat Distribution System placed a tiny kitten in the top of a tree near the #2 basket of the disc golf course.’: The wholesome holiday season story of the stray cat who found itself adopted by a family full of canine siblings

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Nov 9, 2025 4:00 PM EST

To say that the Cat Distribution System works in mysterious ways would simply be am understatement. For there is little reason for anyone to have assumed that participating in an activity as innocent as disc golf could result in returning home with a cute kitten in tow. But that is exactly what happened to one sweet feline when it was gently coaxed out of its tree top perch one eventful New Year's Day.

But the unique features of this story do not end here, as this kitten was about to come home to not one, but three canine siblings. And while that might seem like a terrible idea in most cases and we would agree. In this one, the pawrents involved are simply angels and did everything to the best of their abilities. Ensuring a safe and sweet integration for the kitten into their fur family. What more could you want from a holiday season miracle?

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    I've been calling her Birdie since we found her near the basket at the disc golf course.
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    New Years Eve we were playing disc golf and this kitten was high in the tree next to the number 2 basket. We played our entire round and the kitten was still in the tree. Took us
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    over an hour to coax her out of the tree but eventually we got her down and I took her home. I'm keeping her in my study to keep my 3 dogs from constantly chasing her.
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  • It is hard to totally blame the Cat Distribution System for messing the dates up on this one. Sure it still happened during the holiday season, but any time after Boxing Day feels a little off for an Xmas miracle to occur. But we suppose there would not be all too many people playing disc golf around Xmas day…

  • 04
    I'm looking for good advice about helping integrate into the household. (I'm assuming the cat is female due to its calico coloration.)
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    Introducing them: Already in progress. I have 3 dogs, all girls, a Sheltie, a husky/pit mix and a pit chweenie. I feed the Sheltie in the same room that the kitten lives in during the
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    adjustment period. This is to keep the other two dogs from trying to take her food. They're not best buddies yet but the Sheltie knows the kitty is in the room and remains calm
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    while we're in there, not trying to chase the kitty or take her food. She's far and away the best behaved of the three dogs and demonstrates that when in the room.
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    She has seen the kitten up close and it seems like she's trying to make friends and not scare the kitty. The husky mix will be next. Despite being insanely strong, she's shown
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    strong maternal traits since I brought in the Sheltie as a puppy. The Sheltie is 6 and even now the husky pitty is very protective of her. I have a small cat carrier coming in Monday so the kitty can be in the room
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    with us when we all hang out watching TV or whatever. Which leads to the pit/chihuaha/dachsu nd mix or "she who must be snuggled". She's the joker in the deck and a non- trivial part of the
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  • Honestly, the CDS could have hardly found better pawrents for this kitten. Sure, having three canine siblings is a lot for any cat, let alone a kitten. But it seems that these pawrents a truly aware of the situation they are facing and are taking ever measure and precaution to make sure things go as smooth as possible.

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    justification for all the patience and caution. She thinks she's in charge but no, the big dog is the leader. Also insanely strong and fast, she is almost always the instigator of any and all canine shenanigans.
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    All three dogs have been on their best behavior since the kitten moved in to that room. (It's my work from home office and part time music studio.) They have been very respectful of not
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    trying to Houdini their way into the room or engaged in intimidating behavior at the doorway. With all three of them being girls it does seem like their more protective and motherly behavior
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    prevail when they're outside the kitty's room. The plan remains that along with creating spaces the cat can get to that the dogs cannot, I will control every interaction between
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    the cat and the dogs until the cat can control those interactions. OOP clarifies: I don't think they will hurt her and I don't even mind the chasing as long as
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    it's all in good fun for everyone involved. But early on, I want to kitten to get strong and healthy and fully recovered from the trauma of living in the wild.
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    I think within 1-3 months that we will have what passes for a harmonious multi- species household. The plan remains that A. I will continue to create spaces that the cat can get to that the dogs cannot. And B.
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    That I will tightly monitor and control interactions between the dogs and the cat until such time that the cat can safely control those interactions. I am in no way suggesting that my dogs would
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    intentionally harm the kitten or even that they would unintentionally harm her. I just want a safe and quiet environment for the kitty to recover from her ordeal and develop a sense of permanence and
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    security in the home. While I have her isolated in my office, one of the dogs could have easily have rushed the door and run straight to the cat food, litter box, or the cat. I've been
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    very impressed with the dogs that they continue to respect the boundary that is the threshold of the office door. They are curious, sure. But they have been very polite about not stressing their new
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    housemate. And that reinforces my feeling of pride in them. They're good dogs and I think they will come to love and be protective of the kitten once her presence becomes accepted as permanent.
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    At close to the 2 week mark, things are starting to get a little bit challenging. While kitty was recovering from living in the wild and having plenty to explore in her room, I was comfortable just leaving her
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    alone to heal and be in a place that is safe and warm. Now that she's feeling better, I get the sense that she is starting to get lonesome and bored. Tonight when I get home from work, I'm going to
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    put her in her new cat carrier and bring her into the living room while I assemble her new big-ass cat tree and allow the dogs to be in there. I'm thinking that just one dog at a time could be in the living room at
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    first, that way I can help each dog have a relaxed attitude toward the kitty rather than have all 3 in there egging each other on. Fingers crossed.
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    Updates: The name Birdie has stuck and she has indicated that the name is satisfactory and even answers to the name, as much as cats do.
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    She is approximately twice the size she was when we found her. She continues to grow bigger and stronger and her needs have escalated from safety, food and warmth to engagement, attention and play.
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    She has had interactions with my Shetland Sheepdog and most of them have gone pretty well. She feels safe with the Sheltie and will come out when the dog comes into the room with me. I have learned the
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    hard way to put cat food and litter box out of the dog's reach since dogs have their own standards about what is edible and what is gross. The last two nights, I have briefly taken Birdie, in her car
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    carrier, into the living room with me so that the other two dogs can see her. Last night was a definite success while tonight maybe a little less so. My Pit/Husky mix, HBIC, has displayed
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    very positive reactions. She is very interested and appears to be motherly and protective towards the baby cat. She displays the same gentle appreciation she showed when I brought in the
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    Sheltie puppy in a little over 6 years ago. The pit chweenie gets really excited and seems to be trying to jailbreak the kitty out of the carrier. I'm not certain of her motivation for that
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    behavior so caution remains the word of the home in all interactions between kitty and dogs. At present, Birdie has free run of my office/music studio. So far, the Sheltie is the only dog that's allowed to enter the
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    room by invitation and it seems that she and Birdie are on the path to friendship. The other two dogs are very curious and interested but have made we quite proud of them with how respectful they
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    have been when it comes to the kitty's space. I will continue my policy of exercising caution and controlling all interactions between Birdie as the dogs until Birdie can control them.
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    All told, I can envision a time when all the four footed family have free run of the house and that kitty can be a full participating member of the pack in all home activities.
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    Where I live, there is nothing good that can happen to a cat outside so Birdie will be an indoor cat just as the dogs are indoor dogs.
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stray cats wholesome smol kittens holiday season golf found tiny siblings reddit story canine adopted cat story family Cat distribution system tree 2025
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