A few weeks after we adopted two cats from a shelter, we were suddenly gifted a kitten due to a misunderstanding. While you should never gift a pet without consulting the person first, we did welcome the little one into our home.

However, the little one was too little — we later found out he was sold too early by the breeder, who denied everything — and after a week at the kitten ICU, we finally could take him home. The vet advised us to keep the kitten away from the other cats for now. 

So, we put the kitten in a different room from the other cats. They were both around five or six years old, and one had been abused by previous owners and was super scared of humans. Those two cats met up at the shelter and got along great, so they were adopted as a pair.

The older cats didn’t like the kitten and hissed at it from behind the closed door, but the vet said that could change, so “keep hoping”. Careful introductions didn’t seem to work, either. We were starting to make plans to find a good new home for the kitten. 

One day, I returned from getting groceries… and I couldn’t find the cats. This was odd, as the scared cat had his favorite spot near the door and the other always greeted me. But this was a big house, so after putting away groceries, I started looking. 

When I came to the room with the kitten, the door was open. And I swear, we always checked it thrice! Where was the kitten? Now worried, I called for the cats and looked in every nook and cranny, and then I spotted a tuft of red hair on a high chair. 

Thinking I had found at least one cat, I hurried over… and found three cats in that high chair, the kitten in the middle. They looked up as if I had interrupted their peaceful sleep. Everyone was safe and sound! That day, we found out:

• One of the older cats can open doors.
• The scared cat really likes to mother — or rather, father — kittens.
• The kitten was very smart, as it soon learned to open doors, as well (and can now talk using those “talk buttons”).
• It was impossible for the kitten to have gotten up the stairs and into that chair without assistance, so one of the other cats must have helped.
• These three really became a handful when together.

Unfortunately, the less scared cat passed away due to sudden kidney failure after a few months. The kitten grew into a really rambunctious cat who now, at age six, finally likes to snuggle. The scared cat is still scared of other humans, except us. He also likes scratches and likes to get in the way, so you must scratch him, or you’ll trip. We still can’t pick him up, but he picks us up if we sleep in too long and he wants food.  

It’s maybe not how we intended things to go, but luckily, it worked out for us!

Related:
Cats Will Be Cats

Last week, I was biking on a local path. A woman had her dog off-leash, and it was bounding back and forth all over the path, bouncing from the brush on one side of the path to the other. Then, it started to chase me as I tried to pass.

I came to a full stop. This woman’s attempt at getting her animal under control amounted to nothing more than screaming its name.

Me: “Leash your dog, lady!”

Woman: *Half-heartedly* “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you.”

Me: “What could you have done if you did see me since you didn’t have control of your dog to begin with?

I just wish people could get it through their heads that the path system around here is not an off-leash area. If you want your dog to run around off-leash, find a dog park!

I work at a fast food place at a rest stop on a rural part of the freeway. We are surrounded by hundreds of square miles of farmland.

A customer who ordered a burger comes back up to me at the counter.

Customer: “Could you maybe pull the blinds down at your windows?”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t have any window blinds. Is the sun too bright?”

Customer: “It’s not that. It’s just that I can see all the cows in the field looking at me.”

I wait for a follow-up. The customer catches on that I don’t know what point he’s trying to make.

Customer: “The cows! Moo!” *Holds up his burger* “They’re making me feel guilty eating this!”

I am checking out a family with two young sons. I work in a small local store, and I have a disability that means I need an assistance dog, a golden good boy who is laying next to me wearing a high-viz vest.

Young Boy #1: “Mom! Look! It’s a dog!”

Young Boy #2: “He looks like a good dog!”

Customer: “Yes, boys, but look what he’s wearing.”

Young Boy #1: “The bright vest?”

Customer: “Yes, the high-visibility vest, and remember what that means?

[Young Boy #2] speaks in that manner that shows he and his brother have learned this word-for-word.

Young Boy #2: “That he’s a working dog and we shouldn’t approach or touch.”

Customer: “Very good. So look, admire, but don’t touch.”

Young Boy #1 & #2: “Yes, Mom.”

Me: “I have to say, that is so refreshing! Most parents don’t teach their children about working dogs.”

Customer: “Oh, I’ve heard too many stories about kids getting too excited about dogs and it going too far. I nipped that in the bud with my boys a long time ago.”

Me: “That’s awesome! Although, it’s getting to be around snack time for my dog, and it’s not against his training if he receives snacks from other people as long as he sees me give them to that person first. Would that be okay?”

Customer: “Oh, wow! My boys would love that!”

I go through the trained process of letting my doggo know that it is snack time. He diligently stands up, knowing a well-earned treat is coming. He sees me take two treats and give them to each boy, and they excitedly step up and offer them to the dog. Once I give the “okay” signal, he happily chows down the treats, tail wagging. I also give the signal that it’s okay to accept the boys’ petting for a while, and for a moment, all three are the image of pure joy.

Customer: “Thank you so much! We lost our dog to ripe old age a few months ago, and they’ve been missing him. This was really sweet of you. Thank you for giving permission.”

Me: “What are you talking about? It’s my dog who gave permission to me!”

With that, they finished their purchase, the boys gave a big goodbye hug to my very good boy, and he went straight back into diligent work mode. I don’t deserve him.

I work at a small family-owned business. There is only one girl in the front office with me today: the owners’ niece. I’m dating the owners’ son. They usually drop their dogs off for us to watch; however, one of them has been having some bladder issues due to age and always pees in the office. It doesn’t matter if he was just outside or not.

We usually lock him in the owners’ office with a baby gate. It’s big, and he can still see everyone going around, and for some reason, he won’t pee in there, just every where else. The peeing in the office is a problem because we have a work cat who will often go behind said dog to mark back his territory. The owners know this happens.

Owner #1: *In a sweet voice* “Hey, girls! Just dropping the boys off.”

She heads to the bathroom as the dogs say hi. Not even a minute goes by before the old dog has already peed three times. We start closing all the doors so he doesn’t have to be locked in the office. [Owner #1] comes out and starts opening doors again.

Me: “We closed them because the dog peed already. We are trying to keep them closed so he doesn’t pee everywhere.”

Switch flipped.

Owner #1: “What do you mean, he peed? My dog doesn’t pee anywhere inside unless you’re around. It’s probably the cat peeing there first. Grab the gate and just put it the f*** there.”

I go to move the gate without saying anything.

Owner #1: “Not there. Put the f****** gate there!”

She points to another random spot and I start putting the gate up.

Owner #1: “Does it fit?”

Me: “Yeah.”

[Owner #2] walks in.

Owner #2: “Apparently, your dog peed in here.”

Owner #1: “It’s not my dog; it’s the cat. It smells like pee in here, and I can’t believe you don’t smell it. You guys need to clean up here!”

We hire a service and we clean twice a week.

I just walked away. Later that day, they picked the dogs up and made comments about how they were locked away and how sad they were. [Owner #1] said sorry to my coworker but not me. It took until the son said something for her to say it, and even then, she got angry at that.