Hospital worker finds quivering stray orange cat in the rain, but her apartment has a policy against cats, she convinces her in-laws to adopt him

Briana Viser • Writer and Editor

Jan 21, 2026 6:00 PM EST

Never leave a cat alone in the rain!

Hospital work is gruesome. It's long hours, difficult environments, and it's emotionally and physically demanding. It's a place where life's highest highs and lowest lows exist together, juxtaposed side by side so that as a worker you feel conflicted about your job. For hospital workers, there is rarely a moment where you can pause and take a breath. Most jobs don't crank up your cortisol levels the way hospital work does. The work is constant, the stakes are high, and the pressure to perform is relentless. Long shifts are one of the most immediate challenges. Twelve hour days feel like an eternity. It's cumbersome, and can feel impossible to fully get over the stress of the day.

There's an exhaustion that resonates with your whole body – being on your feet all day wears you out, and the emotional load seeps into the physical. Nights, weekends, and holidays are part of the job, and it can be difficult to maintain relationships or feel connected to life outside the hospital. But this woman was determined to help a little orange cat she saw outside her work. She claims, "most of the time when I'd move past him, he wouldn't run away or meow or ask for food, he sorta just sat there by the front door- taking whatever leftovers the residents and or the kitchen would feed him." Then one day, she sees that the little cat is shivering on a chair outside, and it's raining. That's when she decides enough is enough. She decides then and there that she's going to care for the little thing, but she's in a catch 22 – her apartment won't allow more than two pets, and she already has two. She decided to call up her in-laws, who live alone on a mountain and only have one cat.

It wasn't easy, but after sending several photos and videos, she managed to convince her in-laws that it was the right thing to do to take in the cat. She praises her husband for driving an hour up to the mountain just to deliver the cat.

Give the gift of kindness this holiday season by donating to our Giving Tuesday fundraiser to help homeless pets and animals in need! It's time to pay your cat tax!