‘He is SKINNY. He likely needs pounds put back on. Not ounces.’: Cat turns up at stranger’s home hungry and disheveled three times before they adopt the cat who was abandoned by his original family

Author image for Laurent Shinar
Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor
Dec 17, 2025 3:00 PM EST

The Cat Distribution System is quite the outstanding thing. Managing to connect cats and the pawrents who are best suited to them with what feels like the greatest of ease and grace. And while most of the time their deliveries go smoothly and the cat child is placed in its furever home on the first try sometimes things are not so cut and dry. As is the case in the story we have lined up for you today, which tells the tale of a cat who was indeed in need of a new home, but who simply could not stay in the home the CDS chose for him on account of him having a legitimate family who owned him.

Meaning that our pesky hooman laws dictated that he must be returned to his rightful owner. But those very same laws eventually became the reason that he got to stay with his CDS-approved pawrent after several attempts. And everyone got to live happily ever after from that time onwards.

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  • 01
    "He is mine. Forget his old family. I care about him."
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  • 02
    This is a notmycat and maybe a nowmycat in one. I've been feeding a stray for months. I called a rescue and we've had a trap out for her to get used to.
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  • 03
    Today she decided she's fine with me, jumped on my lap, purred at me, rubbed on my face, and was fine being carried. So I dashed her inside and into my bathroom.
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  • 04
    She's skinny and matted and HUNGRY. The rescue is sending someone over to scan for a chip. But either way, long or short term, I was distributed another cat.
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  • Honestly, the jealousy we feel towards these people who are seemingly gifted cats from the cat distribution system is only outshined by the warm and fuzzy feelings that we get knowing that the cat has found a safe and secure home to be in.

  • 05
    That's three this year. If I get to keep her, this is kitty number five for me. Only two of whom I set out to adopt.
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  • 06
    This cat went home to his family last November. They were so happy to see him. I was so happy he was going home. I'd see him walk through my yard on my backyard camera
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  • 07
    and not think much of it. His route goes through my property. But I wished they'd keep him inside. A few weeks ago he meowed at my child and came out of hiding, so we fed
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  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10587828992
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  • 09
    him some treats, then said goodnight. I texted his mom to see how all was going and she said he'd run away from home again and they couldn't trap him.
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  • 10
    Tonight as I got home and started to make some food he meowed at me from outside. I went out, gave him a few treats, and he let me scoop him right up.
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  • 11
    He's spending the night in my bathroom, and I've offered to keep him. I know he has a loving family, and they will be so relieved he's ok, but I can't help but think he'll be better off here.
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    Cheezburger Image 10587827968
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  • 13
    So, CDS group, wish him luck that he either goes home and they figure this out, or they surrender him to me. He's not a good outdoor cat. He is SKINNY. He likely needs pounds put back on. Not ounces.
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  • It truly is so frustrating when families simply do not understand their cat child well enough to know what they need. After all, in the feline world there is no one-size-fits-all approach that will actually work. Some cats need indoors, some need out, and some need varying combinations of the two.

  • 14
    Guess who walked through my backyard last night? It took less time than I thought it would. And I've not been texted by his humans asking if I've seen him. It's not SUPER cold here, but
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  • 15
    Cheezburger Image 10587828224
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  • 16
    it's an uncomfortable mid to high 40sF at night here. Time to rescue my cat for the last time. He cannot have put on good warming weight in the week he's been home.
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  • 17
    Update: He's going home again soon. Their son is quite attached to him. Which I get. SO STOP LETTING HIM OUT.
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  • 18
    There won't be a third time. Next time I rescue their cat, I have a new cat.
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  • 19
    Cheezburger Image 10587827712
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  • 20
    He's back. Hungry and matted. Not as skinny as last time, but skinnier than the first time. I'll weigh him tomorrow. He accepted treats last week, then came back and seemed to
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  • 21
    ask for some (he sat on my front porch and one of my cats growling at him let me know he was there). I went out of town for a few days, saw him in the backyard tonight and went out and called him. He came
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  • 22
    right to me and started eating and letting me pet him. So I brought him in. I brushed him, used scissors and a trimmer on the bigger mats, and brushed him some more. He ate a half can of food (at 180
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  • 23
    Cheezburger Image 10587829504
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  • 24
    calories in the whole can, and cats needing about 20 calories per pound, that's the equivalent of someone on a 2000 calories a day diet going into a stranger's house and eating 1000 calories while nervous. He
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  • 25
    was that hungry). He's in the bathroom chilling, and I'll brush him more tomorrow. I've gotten head b. ++s and purrs, and he was so happy to be
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  • 26
    brushed he rolled toward the brush and rolled off of the windowsill. Luckily I caught him. LOL.
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    Cheezburger Image 10587828736
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  • 28
    I felt guilty, so I did text his family after several days. They said they'd come over that night, or the next day.
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  • 29
    And then ghosted me. That was over three weeks ago. By my state's laws, he's now been abandoned in my care. So today I took him to the vet and I've established care for him. He's healthy,
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  • 30
    and even with the POUND he's gained, he's still slim and a good weight. "He has enough food" was BS. He's 11.5 pounds and not an ounce of fat on him. He is mine.. ck his old family. I care about him.
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  • 31
    OCKEY LEA
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cat skinny hungry abandoned cat adoption stranger reddit story cat story family home original
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