Tiny tuxedo cat surprises a couple on an evening stroll and quietly decides that they're his hoomans now: 'We were worried we accidentally stole a neighbor's cat'

Author image for Blake Seidel
Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jun 23, 2026 4:45 PM EDT

When you're chosen by a cat, you can try and resist, but you'll soon learn that arguing with a cat only gets you one thing: a very sassy cat and a lost argument.

Cats are the most famous example of self-domestication. They just started hanging around hoomans and, after realizing how cute and fluffy they are, hoomans started to invite them into their homes. Sure, at first it was probably more about pest-prevention, but how many people do you know who adopt cats to keep rats out of their houses nowadays? Not many. So if we're not using them to keep rodents and bugs out of our houses, then why do we keep letting them in? There's only one right answer here: they are incredibly purrsuasive.

Not only are they purrsuasive, but they're also purrsistent. They'll waltz right into your home and act like they've always lived there, charming you the whole time with their cutie-pie chirps and happy meows. So much so that you'll think, "Well, he's already here, what's the harm in him staying?" And just like that, you've adopted a cat, and the cat made you think it was your idea in the first place. 

That's pretty much what happened in our story below from Reddit's r/cats community. On a routine evening stroll, a tiny tuxedo cat surprised a couple and followed them home. He looked in such good condition that they were afraid they were accidentally stealing someone's cat, but after no neighbor claimed their fancy feline friend, they invited him into their house and he made it into his kingdom. 

Cats are one of the only animals that we let push us around like so. Imagine if a bird flew into your house and tried to make a nest there. Would you let it? No! You'd open the windows and try to shoo it out with a broom (gently, we hope). Even dogs don't get such leeway. But, such is the power of cats, and we love to see felines finding new homes. That's one less cat on the street, and another house soon to be full of kitty cat love.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10640762112
    via orangejubbly
  • 02
    This evening, when my partner and I were walking home, a tuxedo cat leaped out of nowhere and purred at us non-stop. It followed us up the hill and almost into our building complex.
    via orangejubbly
  • 03
    Cro CLOSSO
    via orangejubbly
  • 04
    We were worried we accidentally stole a neighbour's cat, so we went back down the hill and knocked on four different neighbours' doors to ask if anyone owned a black cat. They all said no. We went back up to our flat, and the cat followed us inside. It was uncertain at first, so we lured it into our actual flat with some milk.
    via orangejubbly
  • 05
    We tried giving it dried cat treats with catnip (my old neighbour had a cat so I had some left over), but it wasn't interested. We both have never owned a cat before, so we are at a loss. We are thinking of going to a vet tomorrow to get it checked for a microchip.
    via orangejubbly
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10640761600
    via orangejubbly
  • 07
    What should we do right now? It looks very young. What should we do if it needs the bathroom? We don't have a cat litter box. Helppppp us please!
    via orangejubbly
  • 08
    Crafty_Substance_954 They look like a youngster, probably just a friendly stray. Go get a litter box for cheap and consider whether or not you'd like to keep him. You can just buy some kind of cheap tub or disposable pan with some litter for now if you don't want to keep him.
    via Crafty_Substance_954

  • We beg to differ - there is no decision to be made. The fancy gentleman has already made himself at home, so do you really want to be that guy who gives him up when he's finally found a place to call home? They should just accept their fate - they're now cat pawrents.

  • 09
    While you're out, get a can or two of some wet food. Don't give him milk or anything like that because they can't actually digest it. Get him checked for a chip and then decide what you want to do with him if he's up for grabs. Seems like a good buddy.
    via Crafty_Substance_954
  • 10
    Curious_Ducklin Don't give the cat milk. Most cats are actually lactose intolerant and they can get upset tummies from it.
    via Curious_Ducklin
  • 11
    chiyooou Take the cat to the vet as soon as you can. They can scan to see if an owner had it chipped. Otherwise... welcome to the club!
    via chiyooou
  • 12
    50Bullseye Get a hauler. Drive to my house. Leave cat on front porch. Ring bell. And if you happen to talk to my wife, we never had this conversation.
    via 50Bullseye
  • 13
    sleepyreddits Get a cheap litter box and some litter from the 99 cent store and the cat will instinctively know what it's meant for, also if I remember correctly you should not be giving a cat regular pasteurized milk as they don't have the means to break it down properly. Sadly media growing up makes you think they can and should have milk but it doesn't work that way at all.
    via sleepyreddits
  • 14
    According_Dare7316 Check if it's microchipped. I can see you are in the UK and legally all cats MUST have a chip. If it doesn't have a chip, that cat is now yours to keep and care for. Fingers crossed! Cats are the best!
    via According_Dare7316
  • 15
    hondactx16i This is a standard Cat Distribution System (CDS) placement. You have been chosen.... enjoy cat friends
    via hondactx16i
  • 16
    Suspicious_Serve_653 Literally how I just adopted our orange tabby. He showed up on my porch one day. Super friendly, well mannered, and just invited himself into my house after having coffee with me on the porch.
    via Suspicious_Serve_653
  • 17
    Asked the neighborhood guard, the neighbors, and nobody seemed to know where he came from. So we left him stay indoors a bit to see if he would do alright, and he took to it just fine.
    via Suspicious_Serve_653
  • 18
    All the while, we hunted lost cat flyers, more neighbors, and the guard on the other side of the community and still found nothing. He just seemed too housebroken to not be owned.
    via Suspicious_Serve_653
  • 19
    Well, It's been a month and nobody seems to be looking for him at all, so we took him to the vet. No chip but also disease and parasite free.
    via Suspicious_Serve_653
  • 20
    Had him chipped, got him his shots, and just had him groomed. He now has a favorite stuffy he's been carrying around the house and was watching a movie with us last night.
    via Suspicious_Serve_653
  • 21
    He chills with me all night while I work, then spends the day playing with my wife while she cleans. Looking forward to taking our new travel buddy along to new places once he's squared up. Enjoy your new pet and congrats on also being selected by the cat distribution system
    via Suspicious_Serve_653

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adopted by a cat stray cats new cat parents tuxedo cat
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