'I've decided to bring him back to the UK with me': A Miami vacation turns into an adoption after a friendly stray follows them home, settles in, and they reschedule their flight around him

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Sarah Brown • Writer and Editor
May 7, 2026 8:45 AM EDT

What was supposed to be a trip became a cat adoption.

A trip to Miami turned into bringing a cat back to the UK. Tangerino followed this traveler home during the vacation and didn't act like a stray passing through. He stuck close, came inside, and settled in like he had already picked his person.

That changed everything fast. This person didn't just leave and think about it later. They canceled their return flight and started planning how to get Tangerino home properly. Before committing, they tracked down the local colony feeder through a TNR group. She confirmed Tangerino wasn't bonded to her and was completely fine with him being adopted, which cleared any doubt.

Tangerino made the whole process unusually easy. Harness training for the flight went smoothly. He stayed calm in the carrier, used the litter box, played with toys, and slept indoors without any pushback. No long adjustment phase, no stress, just straight into it like he'd done it before.

He also reminded the traveler of an orange cat they lost a year earlier. That connection shows up clearly in how quickly things moved. What started as a random vacation encounter turned into rescheduling flights, planning international travel, and coming home with a cat who acted like he'd always been part of it.

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  • 01
    For those following the story of Tangerino who followed me home on my Miami vacation and basically made himself my new cat... I've decided to bring him back to the UK with me! Yes, I
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    Cheezburger Image 10629067264
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    cancelled my return flight and I'm rescheduling the whole thing so I can bring him home. He is an absolute gem and there's no way I could leave him behind at this point. Big thanks to everyone who encouraged me to keep him!
    via BasicSpaceDragon
  • 04
    I was able to get in touch with his colony feeder via the local TNR group. The feeder is "100% fine" with me adopting Tangerino - apparently he is not so trusting
    via BasicSpaceDragon
  • 05
    ulfame-K,advantame, a plumlarum sodium sulfate, a sulfame salt, azodicart sulfate, ammonium saccharin propionate, beta-cctoria, allulose, alph-cyclodextrin, aluminum ulfate, aspartame, aspartan butyl disod carci carm sulfo ephed fructo mono magne betel nut, black brominated vegeta wwwdydroxytoluene. sulfite, calcium Ctylatum sulfite, a MOUT NES disodium iron EDTA, dod ethylparaben, foie gras fulvic acid, gamme-collate, EDTA high mdiglut S.LVHM montam NOT IN ammonium thenone,
    via BasicSpaceDragon
  • 06
    with her, so they're happy he found his person and they want to follow his journey to the UK. Big relief knowing this.
    via BasicSpaceDragon
  • 07
    Cheezburger Image 10629068032
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    I'm in the process of harness training him for the flight. As you can see here he really hates it Actually, after training my semi- feral tripod for the same journey, Tangerino is a piece of cake. He's
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    remarkably co-operative - purrs while wearing the harness, chills out in the carrier, and seems to be having fun with it all.
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    S/M Holster
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    He has been spending more and more time indoors, and I've seen him use the litter box so I have confidence in him adapting to indoor life. He loves his toys and scratcher, loves sleeping on the furniture, and does zoomies every
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    Cheezburger Image 10629068288
    via BasicSpaceDragon
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    morning. In many ways he reminds me of my orange tabby whod da year ago. Thanks to Tangerino I no longer have a broken heart, and I feel super lucky that this is happening.
    via BasicSpaceDragon
  • 14
    Luci-Noir All cats are boneless. They're made of fur, magic and chaos.
    via Luci-Noir
  • 15
    crochetology May the two of you enjoy a long and healthy journey. Safe travels!
    via crochetology
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    Critical_Prole Welcome to the UK Tangerino. You'll be putting HP sauce in your fish tacos in no time mate. C
    via Critical_Prole

  • This cat’s about to come back with a full British accent meow. Went to Miami and now it’s heading to the UK, so the voice is definitely changing. No more regular meows, it’s all going to sound a little more proper now. Give it some time and it’ll be judging everything from the windowsill like it’s always lived there.

  • 17
    Mimble75 Yay!! Thank you for the update, and for taking that sweet boy home with you. I hope the flight back home with him goes smoothly.
    via Mimble75
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    Shar950 I'm glad you and this sweet boy found each other.
    via Shar950
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    Konnoisseur26 This is such great news! You got an American street cat!
    via Konnoisseur26
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    sweetheart_raven The Cat Distribution System really delivered a high-quality liquid model this time. He's 100% orange juice.
    via sweetheart_raven

  • Boneless cats are a different category entirely. One second they look normal, the next they’ve melted into whatever surface they’re on like they have no structure at all. They fold, stretch, and drape in ways that don’t seem possible. You try to move them and they just keep sliding around like liquid. No edges, no resistance, just full flexibility. Somehow they make it look comfortable too, even when they’re twisted into positions that make no sense.

  • 21
    Agreeable_Pumpkin668 What a wonderful story. Tangerino is such a pretty kitty. I hope you both enjoy many years of cuddles happiness and love
    via Agreeable_Pumpkin668

  • Clearly the CDS is working globally now, matching cats and people across countries like it’s nothing. This wasn’t just a local drop-off, this was international placement. One minute it’s a stray in Miami, next thing it’s heading to the UK with its person. It really does feel like it knows exactly what it’s doing, lining up the right cat with the right human no matter where they are.

  • 22
    Status-Effort-9380 What a handsome guy. So glad you found each other.
    via Status-Effort-9380
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    maststocedartrees Yay Tangerino! So glad it worked out for you two. :)
    via maststocedartrees

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Tags

united kingdom adopted feline Travel Cat distribution system Cats stray vacation
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