After this shop owner feeds a stray cat once, the cat comes back every single day to hug him, showing him gratitude in the cutest way: 'I open my arms, and he comes over to hug my neck'

Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor

Jul 28, 2026 5:30 PM EDT

Hugging a cat is one of the best feelings in the world.

Every cat owner knows that cuddling with your cat is one of life's greatest privileges. It just is. No matter how many times it happens, you are thankful for it. You just don't take something like that for granted. Cats don't show physical affection like that to just anyone. 11 years into cat ownership, still, whenever my cat comes to me of her own volition and lies in my lap or cuddles with me in bed, it's amazing. Hearing her purr heals every other bad thing that might have happened to me throughout the day. Because I know how special it is. Every cat owner does. For a cat to choose you and show you that they love you in a language that they know you will understand.

As for today's affectionate kitty, clearly he chose his person from the first moment. One act of kindness was all it took. He was a stray, he was cold, he was hungry, and out of nowhere, a person came to him and gave him the warmth, food and love that he was missing. And now, he repays this person. Every single day, this cat comes to this man's shop and gives him a hug.

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"Stray Cat that was saved by store owner, comes back every day to hug him."

via DarthiusFatticus
This shop owner did save the cat, but it isn't quite as simple as the caption makes it sound, of course.
According to The Dodo, it was over a year ago that Ferhat Hayat, who works in a glassware shop in Turkey, found a tiny orange and white kitten hanging out around the front of his store. The momma wasn't around, the kitty looked hungry, and the shop owner and his father were kind and decided to take him in for the day. “We fed him well and made sure his belly was full. He hung out all day,” Ferhat explained. “When we closed up for the night, we prepared him a place outside so he wouldn’t get cold.”
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via DarthiusFatticus
The kitty instantly got attached. The next morning, they found him lying on one of the chairs meant for the employees, and no one could turn him away. “He’s been with us ever since,” Ferhat said. “He has received all his vaccinations and check-ups.”
Since then, the cat comes in every day to show his gratitude in what might be the cutest way possible - hugging the shop owner. Yes, actually hugging. “Whenever he looks at me, I open my arms, and he comes over to hug my neck,” Ferhat explained, and you can see it yourself in the camera footage.
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