Sweet stray decides woman's garden is now hers, but then turns out to be the local crime boss around other cats, internet encourages woman to adopt her anyway

Briana Viser • Writer and Editor

Jun 11, 2026 3:00 PM EDT

Would you adopt the neighborhood prowler?

Cats come in all kinds of forms. Some are more introverted and feisty, some are more like dogs and just want love all the time. As a street cat, it's a life of danger. You have to watch yourself all the time and always look our for your safety from other dogs, birds, people, raccoons, and other cats. Take it from the story in Reddit's r/NotMyCat. This woman noticed that a local stray has chosen her garden as her own, which she finds absolutely endearing. She started sleeping there and greeting and woman friendly, demanding attention. She was rubbing against her legs and headbutting her for pets. She was calm and tame with the woman, and the two would even go on little walks around the neighborhood without a harness or treats. It seemed they were a purrfect match, a really special bond. It's like they were already two peas in a pod.

But then the woman noticed something. This stray tabby was strange around other cats, and whenever there was another cat, she tried to avoid them. The other cats would hiss and try to start something, but the woman always protected her little kitty. The woman assumed her tabby was getting in fights because of the other cats starting things, and that she was innocent. But then she decided to check the security footage on her camera, and it showed something unbelievable to her. It showed the sweet garden cat being the aggressor! She was shocked, and she didn't know what to do. She decided to take it up with Reddit to see what others had to say about it, and she was pleasantly surprised. Everyone in the comments pacified her that it's actually normal behavior for cats to be territorial of their home. So she realized that the kitty just calls her garden home, and now she's even considering making her hers. Read the full story below and enjoy it!