Kitten who's forced to live outdoors decides he doesn't like his owners, goes to the neighbors instead, befriends their house cat, and the family happily takes him home: '[The neighbors] said they couldn't get him to stay at their place anyway'

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Aug 13, 2026 3:00 PM EDT

If your cat is a "fully outdoor" cat, then are you really a cat owner? 

In the cat community, there is a whole debate about indoor vs. outdoor cats. Most of us, me included, think that cats are better indoors. They live longer lives indoors, they can be spoiled indoors, they are safe with us, and to us, that is generally all that matters. But we do understand the other side of the argument, specifically for some cats. Some cats who have lived their whole lives as strays don't do well with being confined indoors. They need their time outside, for their mental well-being, in one way or another. Some solutions to that can be letting them out for short periods of time, taking the cat on a leash for a walk, or building your cat a catio if you can. The solution is never to let your cat roam outside without giving them the option to get back inside. 

Some cats, even strays, learn to live fully indoors. They get used to it, and they learn to appreciate it. Some even learn to prefer it. And that's the story of today's cat. He knows what it's like to live indoors. He knows what it's like to be loved by humans. His old family used to let him roam outside and come back whenever he wanted, but then they decided to move, and although they were planning to take the cat with them, they were also planning on turning him into a "fully outdoor" cat - without the option of coming back in. The cat couldn't have known that, of course, but he must have sensed something. Because before the move even happened, he started venturing to his neighbor's house, and that neighbor fell in love with him so fast, they were willing to take him off the streets forever. 

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  • 01

    "I stole my neighbours kitten"

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  • 04
    A few weeks ago this little orange kitten wandered onto our acreage hungry and thirsty. We tracked down the owners, returned him, and they told us they wanted him to be an outdoor cat and planned on leaving him outside to fend for himself for two weeks while they went on holiday.
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  • 05
    A few nights later he was back. We asked if we could keep him, and they said yes because they couldn't get him to stay at their place anyway.
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  • 06
    Fast forward 12 days and he's completely inseparable from my rescue cat. They're best friends and I'm convinced the universe dropped him in our yard for a reason. Meet Cheddar.
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  • The kitty has very clearly made his choice, and it was only right - by everyone involved - to respect it. On the one hand, a part of us is upset at how quickly his family let him go. On the other hand, if they were wiling to let him go that easily, then he wasn't meant to be theirs in the first place. And he clearly knew that too. 

  • 07
    BooBoo_Cat Your neighbours suck. So glad Cheddar found a great home! What is your other cat's name?
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    Softduckcheek OP Chocolate <3
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  • 09
    Rdb429 Good job! You rescued him from a hard life.
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    kimlobdell5775 Your neighbors have no business owning a cat if they have no problem letting it fend for itself for 2 weeks, especially a kitten. I'm so glad you guys are giving the baby a good home.
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    MisterShmitty Everything's better with Cheddar.
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  • 12
    Huge Yak8803 You didn't steal him, you just corrected his forever home.
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  • 13
    Painted Lady1 Cheddar you did the right thing helping him out
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    pflanzenpotan Cheddar was looking for better.
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  • 15
    mobiletarget33 Only the heartless want cats to belong outside. You did the right thing for both kitties
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    beaujolais98 Cheddar put his braincell on overdrive and determined your house was much better than the jerks next door. Glad you took him in!
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    lilpeepsghostgirl THIS HAPPENED TO ME TOO One day, a little black cat wandered into our yard. We live in a huge neighborhood with hundreds of houses, so the odds of him ending up at our house specifically felt incredibly small. I've always said the universe knew we'd take care of him, and somehow it led him right to us
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  • 18
    It took a couple of weeks to earn his trust. At first, he'd hide in the bushes and wait for us to put his food down, and we'd have to go back inside before he'd come out to eat. Slowly but surely, he started coming closer. Before long, he'd rub against our legs, twirl around our feet when we brought him food, and even let us pet him.
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    One day, we decided to leave the door open to see what he'd do.. and he walked right inside. He curled up and slept for almost 24 hours straight. That absolutely broke my heart because it made me realize he finally felt safe enough to truly rest EZZ
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    We got him neutered, vaccinated, and treated with flea and tick prevention. At first, we figured he'd stay an outdoor cat since that's all he'd ever known. But now, almost a year later, he's living his best life.
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  • 21
    He's healthy, happy, and has the freedom to choose. He spends about half his time inside and half outside, but he always comes home for food, naps, playtime, and lots of love. I always tell my friend that we didn't adopt him.... he adopted us ②
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