'Guess the CDS knew I needed 6 cats': A friendly gray stray who kept returning for daily meals is finally welcomed inside and becomes the sixth member of this growing furmily

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
Feb 26, 2026 6:00 PM EST

They weren't planning on adding another cat to the house, but fate had other plans.

The past few years have been busy for this pawrent, including taking in two mama cats and their kittens, which eventually turned into a full house of five resident cats who are all sweet but still a little wild. After moving to a new city and settling into a rental while waiting to sell their old home, a group of six outdoor cats started showing up regularly for food, and of course they couldn't say no.

About a month ago, a new gray cat joined the group. He seemed healthy and friendly during feedings, but didn't get along well with the other outside cats and usually kept to himself.

One cold evening while being fed, he kept rubbing up against them between bites and even gave a playful little love nip. A carrier was set down with food inside, and he walked right in without much hesitation. After a vet visit to get him checked out, he finally had somewhere safe to rest.

Now he's set up in his own room away from the other cats, leaning in for pets whenever he gets the chance, and settling in like he's meant to be there.

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  • 01
    The past few years have been a whirlwind. Lost my two elder cats, 14 and 16, adopted 2 mommy cats with kittens (got 6 out of 9 adopted so kept 3 kittens), now up to 5 cats who all
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  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10609408768
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  • 03
    are sweet but have just a little wild in them. Fast forward to the last 8 months, moved cities, got a new job and while we are renting waiting to sell our old home and staying in a rental, we get 6
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  • 04
    fun it is to save Oh what f How so it is best
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  • 05
    outside cats coming begging for food. Of course we couldn't say no, so time to buy the biggest bags of cat food we can at Costco. But up to now, no plans to bring one in, and they clearly have no desire to he adopted.
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    Cheezburger Image 10609408512
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  • 07
    In the past month, enter a new gray boy. Already fixed, affectionate when we feed him, and healthy but poor at socializing with the other cats.
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  • 08
    Last week we see a bad wound on his hind leg like another animal tried to bite him, and it started getting bigger (he was gnawing at the edges). Who could just leave hom outside alone and hurt?
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  • 09
    Cheezburger Image 10609408256
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  • 10
    Today I went out and fed him. Sitting on the steps freezing with gloves and a hood up, he kept rubbing on me between bites of food. Even gave me a playful love
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    bite that doesn't break the skin. I had an old hard cage and put it where I was feeding him, set the food in, and he went in ready to be trapped!
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    Cheezburger Image 10609407744
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    Vet ER trip (not happy), no infection and wound dressed and cleaned, antibiotics, and now he is in a closed bedroom away from the housecats. He just wants to
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  • 14
    be petted and will sit literally up against me as long as I want. He is the first picture. The others are my 5 baby girls. Guess the CDS knew I needed 6 cats...
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    Cheezburger Image 10609407488
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  • 16
    razzputinX Oh nooo my steak is too tender and my lobster is too buttery
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  • This is what every pawrent secretly wants, just more and more cats. It starts with one, then suddenly there are five, and somehow there’s still room for another. You tell yourself that’s enough, but then one more shows up and now they live there too. At a certain point, you just accept that the number is going to keep going up.

  • 17
    galgotspirit Everyone needs cats. Many just don't know it yet.
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  • 18
    Ok-Conversation... Thank you for helping these kitties! And never doubt the CDS!
    via Ok-Conversation-7292

  • The Cat Distribution System always seems to know how to make the purrfect match! Somehow the right cat ends up with the right person at exactly the right time. It might not be planned, but it works out the way it’s supposed to. One minute it’s just another stray showing up for food, and the next they’ve made themselves right at home.

  • 19
    Ok_Foot1988 Thank you for helping him. You have some beautiful kitties.
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    meltedpete You're the best friend to your felines. May they give you years and years of unconditional love and joy.
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  • 21
    Ti... What a beauty six is perfect unless you need a seventh kitty lol. I'm guessing that he will annoy the girls for a while but should love being the only boy awww
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  • 22
    madammidnight He's a lucky boy! And so handsome.
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  • This little guy definitely got lucky finding the purrfect home to join. Sometimes they just show up in the right place at the right time and everything falls into place from there. It’s nice knowing he’s somewhere warm and safe now with people who actually want him around. Looks like he picked a pretty great place to land.

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    SheetMasks And... Maybe the CDS prefers even numbers
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Cats pets adopted pawrents Cat distribution system rescue wholesome heartwarming
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