Teenager who already has four feline family members works to convince her father to let her adopt another stray cat: 'I think NotMyCat is about to become NowMyCat.'

Author image for Ayala Sorotsky
Ayala Sorotsky • Writer and Editor
May 19, 2026 8:45 AM EDT

Let us spoil you from the beginning, because it's a very sweet spoiler: the dad gave in, the stray cat was promoted to a house prince.

First of all, we're always happy when a stray cat finds a forever home. It's not any regular adoption story that you hear every once in a while from friends, like "I went to a shelter and adopted this puppy". It's a more wholesome and elevated version in which a stray animal gets to have an entire hero's journey, from rags to riches. We love every stray promoted to a pet, but there's something extra special and touching about these heartwarming adoptions.

But as usual, this isn't just a regular "stray finds a home" sort of situation. For some meowsterious reason, the Cat Distribution System likes to give us complex narratives and a soap opera amount of characters. Here, there's not only the cute cat getting adopted - there's the teenage girl who does everything in her power to bring him home, her live-in boyfriend, both her parents with opposing opinions about the adoption, and there's also a cousin in the house. We don't know about you, but we just imagined all of them appearing one by one like a 90s' dramatic comedy show opening.

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  • 01
    i posted recently about notmycat (dubbed tomtom) who has been showing up lots as of late that i really want to keep.
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    i figured i would update since there has been some actual progress now. for context, i am 17, canadian, and have an odd housing situation.
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    my mom is now on board with keeping him, so are my boyfriend and cousin (who also living in my house). the problem is convincing my dad.
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  • It's somehow always the dad. But don't worry, that's how all classic “dad and cat” duos start.

    The beginning is always “As long as I'm alive, no cat will live under my roof!”, or a “If you bring this creature in, I'm moving out.”, and sometimes even a “I hate cats. I hate them so much. If you bring a cat home, I'm sending them to the nearest ditch.”

    But, lo and behold, it always ends along the lines of “I bought the water kind of tuna so I can give half of the cans to the cat.”, and “I wasn't hugging him, he fell asleep in my arms. For 5 hours. He was purring, and it feels nice.”, and even “What? He likes to sit on my shoulders when I fix things in the garage. He's my little helper.”

    Just… classic dad and cat.

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    well, today my mom said we could probably convince him if me and my bf made the cat "ours" (ie we pay for his care).
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    we are totally up for this, and there is a vet in my city that provides services for low- income people, which my bf would qualify for. i have 150
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  • 10
    dollars myself and he is potentially getting hired this week, so we're going to call the vet, and, if he qualifies for services, we're going to schedule and take him in as soon as possible.
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    tomtom, i believe has an upper respiratory infection. he has these crazy sneezing fits
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    and today i went out to see him and he has fluid leaking from his nose and he's drooling while he rests. he seems lethargic and i am worried about him. i
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    took a look in his mouth for ulcers but couldnt see any, but anyway something is clearly wrong. i want him to get seen asap!!
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    my dad is bringing home flea soap tonight. we think we saw a flea on him just now, so we're going to flea bathe him, comb him for fleas,
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    and he will officially begin staying in my room. we just have to go buy a litterbox for him, which we will run out and do soon.
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    tldr; i think notmycat is about to become nowmycat :)
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    if it is revealed at the vet that he is chipped, he will be returned home!! i just want this guy to be safe, healthy, and have a home.
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  • Looking at this sweet cat makes us realize how absolutely handsome he is. What a beautiful boy. This is not just a random cat - this is a frog waiting for his chance to be a prince. This is the royal kind of cat.

  • 26
    74687560m you're handling this way more maturely than most people would. checking local services, saving money, talking with family first all of that matters. - really hope this works out for both of you
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    Resident Lock211 OP thank you haha □ i am au_tic and have a very strong love for cats. i have 4 of my own and my fifth passed in february, and since tomtom already tolerates the dog, i think he'll fit in well! we just bought his litterbox and i'm cleaning my room to prep for him to stay in.
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    Flirtquakez TomTom showed up at the right house. Not everyone at 17 would notice the fluid, the lethargy, the sneezing fits and immediately think 'this needs a vet.' You did.
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    MaraSami That's great! (And storage bins can be used as litter pans and are usually more economical than actual litter pans. And thrift stores. frequently sell them for a dollar or 2!)
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    (oh, and take video of the things you mentioned so you can track the progress and show the vet in case it's not happening during the vet visit. My vet friends love videos over verbal descriptions!) You're awesome!!
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    Resident Lock211 OP hello again! litterbox is purchased! since we are giving him a flea bath tonight, there is no point in releasing him back outside, so he will be staying in the house he is now our cat.
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    we will schedule a vet appointment soon! if he ends up having a chip i will return him home but if he does not have a chip he will be ours for good!
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    for now, and probably also permanently, welcome home tomtom!! time to tidy my room
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    RecentSheepherder179 Your father is bringing the soap tonight? Wait a little and he'll bring the treats. It always starts somehow!
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  • You see? We're not the only ones thinking this cat is going to be the father's cat in the end. It's like a story trope at this point, despite it happening in reality.

  • 36
    Great-Science-8586 Well done! He's a gorgeous boy. I hope you have a long and happy life together. You are right to find a vet. He could have cat flu, which can be serious in unvaccinated cats.
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    Above Average_Mom The name is perfect, your ability to care for him is perfect, and now he will have a home!! I'm hoping his sneezing is allergies and easily fixed. Thank you CDS for choosing properly!
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cat dads teenagers cat adoption adopted dad family Cat distribution system Cats Father
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