'Do not steal it': Friendly feline follows human home every day asking to be adopted, but they are met with regret when cat expurrts reveal that it's likely someone else's pet

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jan 15, 2026 11:00 AM EST

Cats are known for scamming multiple humans into being their "primary" caregiver, and the person below has most likely fallen victim to the oldest trick in the book. After following them home every day, the poor person took pity on them and decided they wanted to adopt them. However, cat experts on the internet told them that it has no signs of being a stray cat, leaving this potential pawrent filled with disappointment.

Felines are the ultimate scam-artists. They will do their best (and their best is very good) at convincing you that they are poor, starving creatures on the verge of collapse… even if they just ate 20 minutes ago. Even exclusively indoor cats have been known to escape for days or weeks, simply to stay at the neighbor's house to get free food and pets. And if an indoor cat can meownage to do that, think about what a friendly outdoor cat could do. If they really put their mind to it, they might be able to conquer the world.

This leads us to the "stray" cat in our story below. They followed a hooman, who insisted that they were "not a cat person", home every day, loving on them and convincing them to take them in. They caved, as most hoomans would. But, after posting about their sweet story online, the potential pawrent was left with regret as the cat expurrts came out and suggested that "adopting" this cat might in, in fact, be stealing. Always check for signs of ownership before scooping up an outdoor cat, as this cat not only had clean and well-kept fur, but seemed to be taken care of.

Although they didn't walk away with a new cat, a new cat purrson was born, and we hope that they follow through with their desire to adopt a cat, but get one from a shelter instead. There are plenty of cats who need help there, and we're sure they'd be purrfectly happy in their new home!

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    Cheezburger Image 10596142848
    via Mediocre-Implement34
  • 02
    altiif
    via altiif
  • 03
    Hi, my name is Felix, from the National Feline Association. And I've been trying to reach you to let you know that you are, in fact, a cat person.
    via altiif
  • 04
    is tcupcakes You should take her to get checked for a microchip. She may be a lost pet. If she isn't lost, enjoy your new overlord.
    via is**tcupcakes
  • 05
    Big-Eye-6731 Be careful though. My indoor cat loves humans. Everytime the doorbell rings, she runs to meet who is coming. And she follows them everywhere. If she were to escape, she would probably follow the first homo sapiens she sees.
    via Big-Eye-6731

  • One of our cats is overly friendly and literally tries to leave with our guests sometimes. As if we didn't raise them from kittenhood, pay for literally everything for them, give them treats and many warm places to sleep… what a typical cat. If we wanted loyalty, we should have gotten a dog.

  • 06
    Meaning this one might not be a stray but a super friendly feline. If you are tempted to take her in, bring her first to a vet.
    via Big-Eye-6731
  • 07
    mightygilgamesh You won't adopt her, she adopted you. Learn your place, human.
    via mightygilgamesh
  • 08
    ballern Please check afterwards if the cat is missed... probably just someone's cat
    via ballern
  • 09
    DeapVally Friendly cats do that, but it's almost certainly someone's pet. Do not steal it. It looks well fed and cared for.
    via DeapVally
  • 10
    singbirdsing You did mean that your "adoption" would start with checking ownership in several reasonable ways, right?
    via singbirdsing

  • Always check for a microchip. If you're taking in a stray from the streets, you have to go to the vet anyway to get their health checked and probably some shots. So, while you're there, have them check for a microchip, and if there isn't one, at least your conscience can be wiped clean.

  • 11
    That looks like someone's healthy, confident, and friendly outdoor cat. I would not look at her and assume that she was a stray trying to adopt a new person.
    via singbirdsing
  • 12
    Check any lost cat signs or online posts for the neighbourhood. Ask around the neighbourhood to see if she is known to live at [address]. If there's no sign of an owner, or if the cat starts to get bedraggled or thinner, then you would be justified in scooping her up and going to the vet to check for a microchip. If there's no microchip, be thorough and post some signs/make some posts about a found cat.
    via singbirdsing
  • 13
    GelatinousCube7 i was petting a "stray" cat for like 5 minutes, when i parted the guy with a dog half a block away, whom i said hey to, yelled come on cat! this dude and his dog watched me pet his cat for like 5 minutes.
    via GelatinousCube7
  • 14
    AutumnSparky The best way to settle the is it a stray debate, is to go purchase her a breakaway collar, write with sharpie across it: Your phone #, and the all-caps statement IS THIS YOUR CAT? put it on the cat, and wait. after your chosen number of days, if you've got no calls, it's your cat
    via AutumnSparky
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    Actual-Simple-9787 I wasn't a cat person, til I got a cat. And now I'm obsessed and will always have a cat. ☑
    via Actual-Simple-9787
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    probably-the-problem I can tell you're new to this. You still think the choice was yours to make. It was not, and it has already been made. Ensure your new master has been fixed. Then enjoy your newfound life as a cat person.
    via probably-the-problem
  • 17
    THE CAT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM IS NEVER WRONG
    via C0NIN
  • 18
    markp_93 you might not be a cat person, but perhaps she is a person cat?
    via markp_93
  • 19
    little_cup_of_jo That's how my cat became my cat lol Congrats
    via little_cup_of_jo
  • 20
    LilithInLace_ She likes you and or drawn to you, but maybe she has kittens of her own and is needing you to help maybe.
    via LilithInLace_
  • 21
    vessago Well mate, you don't adopt a cat. They decide you are good enough. Good luck, they're a beauty.
    via vessago
  • 22
    stoneyspookyb h For sure make sure shes not a lovable outdoor kitty. Im in a stupid debacle with neighbors (for 2 years now) who wont accept i own my outdoor boy. Hes friendly & chonky & stays in the complex neighborhood. They thought he was
    via stoneyspookyb***h
  • 23
    homeless despite having 0 signs of being homeless. I always worry theyre going to try to take him so just check that the kitty doesn't belong to anyone! After that, give the sweet baby a home.
    via stoneyspookyb***h

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stray cats stealing pets adopted cat experts feline friendly Cats regret animals
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