'The CDS reincarnated our recently departed boy': A week after suddenly losing her beloved cat of 12 years, neighbor saves a litter of 1-week-old kittens, and the heartbroken owner feels they were sent to her by her previous cat

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Sep 10, 2026 10:15 AM EDT

If your cat crosses the rainbow bridge before you are ready, sometimes, they use one of their extra lives to come right back to you. 

The idea that cats have nine lives came from somewhere, we don't know where exactly. It's a piece of folklore that developed at some point and stuck with us. Some people attribute this to cats' flexibility and agility, their ability to fall from great heights without harm. Some people attribute it to cats' righting instinct, where they always land on their four feet. And then there is us. We believe that this idea of nine lives comes in the form of reincarnation. 

Okay, let us clarify for a meowment. We believe that reincarnation in cats is real mostly because we want to believe it. I look at my gorgeous senior cat at home, and as I watch her get older and older, as the fear of her crossing the bridge gets stronger and stronger, I believe in cat reincarnation more and more. Because I can't imagine life without her. But we also believe in this because there are simply too many coincidences to dismiss. Today's story is one of them. 

A week after their senior cat suddenly and unexpectedly crossed the rainbow bridge, this owner came across one-week-old kittens. Kittens that were born on the same day their beloved ginger cat passed. And the instant bond they had specifically with the one ginger kitten in the bunch truly made them believe this kitten was a reincarnation of their feline. 

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    "The CDS reincarnated our recently deceased boy"

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    We adopted brothers Dexter and Darcy (1) in 2013 and they were relatively both of good health, until May of this year when Dexter (2) developed an unknown growth in his throat that effected his general quality of life.
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    It happened very quickly; one minute he was screaming at us for food, to go outside, etc. and then the next week he was curled in a dark corner of my room, looking ill and barely eating.
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    He was prescribed a steroid and he seemed better for the first few days but then quickly went down hill and didn't show any signs of recovering as the vet said there was nothing we could do. We had to let him go on the 1st June. His urn is next to my 19-year-old's (3) who passed away in February 2025.
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    The same week/week after, this stray (4) turned up on our street and according to someone in a local Facebook group, had taken up residence in someone's garage.
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    For some reason, we assumed it was a boy but eventually, this "boy" had a swollen stomach and indeed was confirmed to be a trojan cat. Our neighbour was feeding her and she rarely came up our way, until last week when she appeared on the other side of our gate.
    via D*adD*athrocker
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    Today is the first time we got to see the babies (5). She originally had 5 of them but one of them (a black cat) passed away recently so only 4 left. Out of the colours, there's 3 tortoiseshell ones... and a full ginger one. If my mother counted correctly, then this orange stray got pregnant in the first week of June.
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    We know they have eye infections and probably other health problems, but the neighbour who told us about them has taken them to the vet today though we don't have an update yet.
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    As soon as the orange cat saw me (6), he/she came over and immediately began to scream his tiny kitten scream. I just know s/he is meant to be ours.
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    We're also thinking of taking in the one with white paws. I've never seen a stray in our area - and there's loads of cats in our area - until after Dexter passed. The whole situation is obviously the work of the CDS.
    via D*adD*athrocker

  • Sometimes, it really feels like some things happen entirely due to fate. This beautiful ginger clearly wasn't ready to let you go yet. He got sick so quickly and so suddenly that he couldn't overcome it, but his love for his humans would overcome anything in the world. It was only one of his lives that crossed the rainbow bridge. He instantly went right onto the next one and made sure to plop himself as close to your home as he could. The rest was up to the CDS, and the CDS, as always, made sure that this kitty was sent straight into the hands that were meant to hold him. We're sorry for your loss, but we are so happy that you found your soulmate a second time in this lifetime. 

  • 16
    purelyirrelephant I'm sorry for your losses. I definitely think our crossed pets send the next ones to us - whether it be them or a new soul. I said goodbye to mine in October 2025 (1 had her for almost 22 years). I think she'll send me the one when I'm ready.
    via purelyirrelephant
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    D adD athrocker OP Thank you. He was only 12 and was just so sudden. We made the mistake of holding them all to the same standard of my girl. She was my soul cat.
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    Twizzlers666 This looks like an excellent choice. I to believe our pets pick their future siblings, and oranges are lovable chaos
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    Acceptable_Speaker93 Absolutely the work of the CDS. There is no question, they were sent to you.
    via Acceptable_Speaker93
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    yaboonabi The Wheel spins, the Wheel reweaves. Welcome back, little friend.
    via yaboonabi

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aww wholesome cat adorable adoption heartwarming cute adopted story Cats rescue
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