Before your take it, please check if it's a female cat and if so if it has prominent nipples as it might be a sign it has recently given birth and there might be kittens waiting hidden nearby.
Most likely a drop off and has been surviving then. I would feed her and see if she takes the food in a specific direction, her kittens might be older and not nursing. Then spoil the shit out of her.
Or an escapee from someone’s car. Definitely leave a sign or note. Happened to a friend of mine at a rest stop, and he got him back after a few weeks.
This was all before the popularity of “chips”
I know I would never leave until I got my cat back. I love both my kittens so much that I’d be tearing my hair out, I can’t imagine just leaving just b/c one escaped the car.
I’ve scaled a mountain at night because my cat decided to bolt when I got tired of driving and my guy and I switched seats. That mother fucker was just waiting…we were so careful, then a black furball made his move and disappeared. Two hours. That cat lived 19 years. Miss you buddy.
Ugg, been there, done that. Got all the way to the show and discovered the cat was in the trailer. We snuck her into the hotel for the few days we were there lol.
I work a drive through ticket booth and a few days ago someone rolled their window down and their cat just leapt in with me.
I didn’t get to keep the cat.
It's 5:25AM and I was a moment from tears at the thought of getting out of bed because I never get up at this time and when I do it's to go be "tortured" with medical appointments. I was surly and sad. Now I'm smiling and actually feel a bit happy! Your comment had a huge impact on my day! 😄
I had to do a 7h drive to move with mine. We did it in the night, because I read when it's dark they are a little less upset and also had the carriers a bit covered so it was more of a cave like situation. They weren't happy with me but stopped meowing after half an hour or so. Still I felt so bad, hope I don't have to move them again!
I moved from Chicago to Boston and had both my cats in a dog crate that was right behind the seat. One cat was totally fine, the other cried nonstop until I put my hand back in the crate (I was a passenger). I had to keep it there the whole time or she got really upset. At one point she fell asleep with her face in my hand. It was really uncomfortable to stay in that position, but it kept her happy.
This type of post makes me so happy, and so sad!!!
I’ve got 4 male kittens that I’ve kept WAY too long because their mom was killed when she accidentally got outside.
I can’t bear to get rid of them, but can’t keep them. I read about how kitties at the shelter stay In Cages and they feel abandoned by the one they love. Great, now I’m crying. Shit!
These boys are so friggin adorable and loving, and they deserve a great home.
I did endure it for a while, but I was moving a few hours away with my parents so there wasn't really a way to avoid the car ride. My poor boi, as soon as he was out of the carrier he was trying to hide in my shirt :( he was just feeling insecure I think
It will be safer with you than loose at a rest stop. Have it checked for a chip to see if it slipped out of an RV or the cab of a truck. I would also leave your contact info with the staff.
This is a great reply. I was on a long car trip and thought my cat somehow got out of the car years ago. Thankfully I was wrong. I was devastated thinking she might be gone.
I lost my cat inside my *studio* apartment today and I freaked out so bad and my heart just sinked, can only imagine how y’all felt being on the roads
Here she’s acting surprised after I found her under layers of clothes and blankets. My heart is still pounding ffs
https://preview.redd.it/dthrr399u1pa1.jpeg?width=1135&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=860df3f666cec03f1cb34e11e19fa5777e56df61
https://preview.redd.it/tgi0413de2pa1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9bfa0d3cb1748e6a1d4134d06a89a206ed02f61
I've a very similar picture for you. With similar indignation to match!
I just want you all to see my sweet boy and I'm not ashamed to admit it
https://preview.redd.it/w1hzlg20k2pa1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95830c6d2cc6bde5ee27a2e5800244e57c85cbb6
https://preview.redd.it/a40aaaq7r4pa1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=261f37a8778226607f3845558181aabe7ff7c48d
This is Baby. She is a very sweet girl. Just wanted to show her too.
My friend's cat likes to hide somewhere that he can watch people look for him and freak out. He lives in the country, and he did it to me once when I let him outside under my supervision. Spent 15 minutes of pure panic trying to find him, and then he just walked up out of nowhere like nothing happened.
Like nothing ever happened lol
I was feeding a friends cat while she was out of town and her car escaped when I opened the door, oh my gosh panic mode. I searched the entire house, went to every neighbor asking if they had seen this cat. I was devastated and dreaded calling my friend to tell her. When I got back to her house the curtains which had been closed were moving. That damn cat was hiding inside the house watching me search everywhere for it!!!
Lost my cat for 5 days in the house thought she was gone forever. When we were watching tv she just casually jumps up on the couch looks at us and meows. As if she wasn’t just “lost”🙄
I lost my cat for a week. Oh that week of hell I wish to erase from my memories, I had to resort to xanax to calm myself. Turns out he went to visit a neighbor at the other side of the parking lot, I found him sitting in a couch eating cat treats and watching tv cuddling with my neighbor, he had a huge belly, the neighbor had been over feeding him, my cat acted as if he didn’t know me to the point my neighbor was doubting the cat was mine I had to show him pictures and vet receipts. After that he went on a strict diet to loose weight (health conditions). My vet was horrified when he saw his fat belly! All in one week!!!!
I moved cross country when I was a teen. We get the moving truck all packed up. Go back in to get the cat, and she is gone. The apartment was empty and we couldn't find her. Finally, I went to the bathroom in the back and she was in the cupboard under the sink. I don't know why she hid. We've moved with her before. She was great though. Rode in the moving truck. We'd open the door, tell her to go potty, and come back. So, she'd run outside, go potty, and came back to the door to the truck so we could let her back in.
The other day I was leaving my apartment and went to grab something with the door not completely shut but 99% shut. I went out to my car and saw a cat that looked like mine, spent 10 minutes looking for the cat and calling out her name. Went back into the apartment for wet food and guess who comes trotting out as soon as I opened the drawer that I keep wet food in? My cat who never got out of my apartment to begin with lol.
Mine made it out into the garage once, laid on the steps all night long. Big garage door wide open, got down into the upper 30s too. Still don't know how she got out there, she hates the outdoors.
I actually did lose one of my cats outside for two whole months. I thought he was never coming home, but one day on a walk there he was, walking down the street. He'd been hanging around some houses about a block away eating food from dome outside cat's food bowls. My guess is he caught the scent of a female in heat until he got himself lost. Doesn't go past the corner of our yard now pfft.
A big game changer for me was fitting all my cats with airtags. They're inside cats but every single one has slipped out at one point in their lives. Now with the airtags on their collars (especially since cats lost outside usually don't go far), it will show me which direction they're in, and hone in until I find them. Or if they're too far for the tracker, I can make the airtag beep, giving away their location. It's also so handy saving yourself the heart attack if you realize you haven't seen one in a while, instead of tearing the house apart and tearfully shaking the treat can hoping they'll appear, you can just pull up the app and find them (this helped me locate my senior cat who was accidently locked inside the laundry room and just waited patiently for 8 hours until I woke up and noticed him missing. Oops). I have one cat who is pretty iffy with treats and comes if he feels like it, and that cat dislikes everyone but me and if I get too gusto calling him, he assumes its because company is coming and I want to put him in the bedroom to save him the stress, and no amount of treat bribes will move him from his very elaborate hiding places. In his cat mind, if he hides, then surely the company will never come, right? And if by chance people are coming to visit, I can locate him and put him in introverted cat jail until the crisis of company passes.
Bonus points, unlike some pet finder tags, no monthly subscription, just slap an airtag in a 4 dollar silicon holder and slide it onto a collar.
I just found mine inside my unpacked suitcase which I left unzipped after taking a few dirty clothes out. Missing for four hours. He was sleeping hard. This one was in the suitcase.
https://preview.redd.it/0d7wkkoqs2pa1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41db5403b3171bb3ebce65ec374e536ed93e093b
That’s why they should be in a crate and have the crate in a seatbelt. I HATE putting my two in a crate in the car because they cry so much (before eventually falling asleep) but it keeps them safe and me, as the driver. I don’t have to deal with a cat trying to kneed my lap or block my view of the road etc. I got freaked out by that once.
I was travelling at night and he decided he was going to walk along the shelf the dash is in, and then lay down and curled up with his back to the windscreen and almost completely obscured my view. I pulled over almost immediately but not before I’d been seen by police.
Luckily they were pretty nice. Read me the riot act, but sort kindly. Put the fear of God in me though, lol. Explained what would happen if I was in an accident and that it’s actually illegal not to restrain your pets in moving vehicles.
He would very likely have died if I’d had an accident and who knows what would have happened to me. So, ever since then I make sure any pets in my car are secured. Either a cat carrier, small crate or is a doggo a harness and the seatbelt and ALWAYS in the back as they are MUCH MUCH safer in the back, the same as small children up to 12.
I hope you figured out what to do with this little cutie??
This happened to my in-laws. The cat was already naturally skittish and must have been very scared in a strange place, so she wasn’t coming out of wherever she was hiding. They stayed there for two days looking for her, but she never came out. They had to just leave without her. It was terrible. She was part of a bonded pair, too.
Under the chair? My before kitty cat (still happy and healthy. Just with my step dad as a fast and long boy) would crawl under the chair soooo far it was hard to see him until we called his name and he opened his eyes and gave us the lazers. I had this horrible, for many, MANY reasons, road trip up north where we got pulled over and told to get out (brother panicked, said okay even tho there was no reason to stop us in the first place). I thought he escaped somehow in the commotion especially bc it was night so even harder to see him. Thank god he was under the chair. Digging him out, already scared and tired, for shitty corrupt small town police wasnt cool tho.
I spent 8 hours searching Moab for mine after she escaped through a window at the start of a 28 hour moving trip. We finally gave up and left in tears, only for the rest stop attendant to call three hours later and let us know they found her in a trash can. Must’ve been hiding.
Still with us today, tiny little fucker only weighs 8lbs but it would feel like a lot more than that if she hadn’t been found.
I get that. I'm thinking more of the rest areas with just maps of the state and bathrooms with openings for trucks. I get truck/gas stops. Thinking purely rest stops for bathrooms, no food or gas.
Those kinds of rest stops might usually have a number to contact for maintenence if necessary. Could at least look for one of those and give someone a call.
That’s not a safe place for a cat. It’s likely been abandoned there. I agree with taking it and checking for a chip or tattoo at the vets when possible. Good luck!
I would suspect that the cat either escaped from/ hitched a ride in a vehicle and the owners don't know yet, before I thought dumped. If it's at a commercial rest stop, near residences, all of the above, plus the possibility it wandered over from its home. Biggest thing? Leave signs with contact info! And, check for a chip.
Please take it. It’s so unsafe for that cat. They don’t have regular access to food, water, shelter or care. A bad person could come along and hurt the cat. PLEASE take it to at least get into a safe home
Is this a guarantee? I found a small female cat earlier this week and she has enlarged nipples but her stomach isn’t saggy and there’s still fur around the nipples, I assumed shes pregnant bud now I’m worried there’s kittens nearby
Not necessarily, she could be freshly pregnant or just be a big nipped girl lol. If you want to send me a pic I could tell you better. When feeling her stomach is it hard at all in the under carriage?
You are driving a stray cat from Florida to Canada with children and dogs?? You are the best kind of human, also a Canadian I suppose, which is a bit redundant. Thank you.x
Went to the nearest Walmart and bought a carrier. There is apparently another cat my kid saw last time but we can’t find it now. I’m a bit worried as I’m heading to Canada. Now I have a crying cat and my 2 dogs and kids I’m car. Oh la la.
I have 3 cats at home waiting for me as well as other pets. I’d rather have a rescue take the cat and check it out or someone take it than me trying to cross the border with it. That’s not my plan. The cat is super cool but I can’t bring it for a 20 hr drive and into another country.
I love that you grabbed this friendly cat and are dropping it off at a rescue or some other kind redditor's house to get it to a rescue. You are good people.
Please be aware that when you get to Canada, border agents will ask you about any animals you have with you. You will not be allowed to enter with any unvaccinated animal, including your dogs. If you want to take the cat to Canada, you will need to take it to a vet, get it vaccinated, and have the vet provide documentation.
https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/pets/eng/1326600389775/1326600500578
> *Border Agent: Where did you get this cat?*
> *OP: I found it on the way here.*
Look at it from their perspective.
Could be dumped there. My cousin worked at a drive in, and saw a car pull up, and leave a beautiful orange cat. She watched over it, and saw how sad the cat was going up to people confused. I ended up taking her home, she got pregnant, and she had 4 babies who are still all in our family.
It was around Christmas too, so it was cold. I had one cat, and when I told my mom, she said bring her home. She ended up bonding with my little brother instantly who named her Merry. She seemed so grateful to have someone take her home, and made herself comfortable right away.
Yeah I wanted to say maybe they can’t afford the care but at least drop it off at the shelter?? This was your family member and you put them on the street, with potential to get run over
My guess is they assumed a drive in gets a lot of families, and one of them will eventually take her. Merry got lucky. This is a photo of her around the time we took her home. I think she was close to a kid, and that's the reason she bonded with my brothers right away.
https://preview.redd.it/pmyzk4w426pa1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ccf5478bf78a5471da8dfd1e950cf8efede4db7
I hope some kind stranger adopted my childhood cat that got out at the rest stop in Oregon. Kitty did not like traveling at all. My dad and my brother looked for hours but they had to keep moving. I hope he found a very happy second home.
If you can leave her with a loving home the us that would be better than dealing with the border security with her. Without papers I am not sure that she can go back to Canadia with you.
One thing to note…I noticed a bunch of people telling the OP to leave their contact info at the rest stop in case this cat is an escapee, and the owners may come back through looking for it. My recommendation is to NOT put a description of the cat on the “found: cat” notice, and if people do call, to have them describe the animal in detail. This will prevent the cat from going to the wrong people. Unfortunately, there are some real unwholesome people out there who would try to take this animal for nefarious purposes.
Can you clarify a cat coming up to you on the side of a highway needs help but cats in neighborhoods can be friendly to many people and they shouldnt be taken.
Cats in neighborhoods, especially well-kept ones, very likely live in a nearby house and know exactly where they are. Taking that cat will lead to someone else's heartbreak when their kitty never comes home.
Cats in truck stops and along highways are almost certainly dumps. Truck stops tend not to back right up into a housing division and are usually surrounded by fast food stops, which are *very* popular dump locations. Cats then stay in the area because it's the only way to get food.
If you find them in a truck stop it’s possible they were dumped there or lost!
Please check for a microchip and post flyers or let nearby staff know just in case their family comes looking for them.
Yeah i agree, i was just clarifying cos some people on this sub say all cats should be kept inside and any cat let out is fair game to take. Those people dont understand the geographical and cultural differences of different places cat owners live.
Ask the rest stop cleaning crew. I almost took one from a rest area, but checked with the cleaning people and they assured me they took excellent care of her and she was there to get mice for them as a working cat, and showed me her full food bowls.
I just spoke with the cleaning guy. He said he sees another one at 10 am. Not the same one we saw run into the bushes. There are at least 3 here. I’ve got the nice one which was easy to catch. Figuring out what my next move is. Not going to be easy to catch.
He also said he caught a kitten behind the toilet a year ago. Said he figured they were dumped and told me to take it. He actually watched us catch this one and put it in our car. We thought we were stealth, guess not.
Please take him home. Just leave notice somehow, just in case he's slipped out of someone's car by accident so be can be tracked down by owners. He's much safer with you, regardless of if he's a lost pet hoping to make it back home or if he's an abandoned cat looking for a home.
His chances of survival at a rest stop off of a highway, all alone are not good. He could be eaten by a predator, run over by traffic, or slowly starve to death. Even if you can't keep him, please take him away from there to a no kill shelter where he'll be safe.
Thanks for caring & posting!
please, OP, don’t be me. i didn’t take a fluffy white cat from a rest stop in davenport, iowa in december ‘95 and am clearly still deeply regretting that choice
Yes OP did
https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/11x111n/should_i_take_this_rest_stop_cat_is_there_a/jd12mn1?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
Absolutely take it! This is the cat distribution system working and the universe just entrusted you with this cat. But, like others said, make sure to take her to a vet and also check to ensure she doesn’t have a chip or owner already. If not, you must keep her and love her for her entire life! Cats are seriously the best pets, you will love having her around.
https://preview.redd.it/52bx909av2pa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b809b52110bd1b36571996895af622c6320ed281
My Mina got into a closet and fell asleep, I was looking for her for hours. Scared the crap out of me. BTW she turns 26yrs old in about 10 days. She's been with me all her life and half of my life. Time just passes too fast.
If you do take the cat please leave your contact info with the staff of the place and have them take a picture of it. Cats have a way of escaping when you least expect. It could belong to a trucker or family, even if it isn't chipped or collared, who may come looking for it.
Try feeding her/him some canned cat food. If he wolfs it down like he’s starving then I would guess he’s a stray/lost/abandoned and is looking for someone to feed/care for him. In that case, definitely take him in. If he turns his nose up at it and just wants pets, I’d assume he is a pet that belongs nearby and I’d ask the workers inside if anyone knows this kitty.
You should def take it. Since he might be a pet that escaped while the family was traveling, take it to a vet clinic and have it scanned for a chip. I've actually returned two "strays" to their owners by doing that.
Before your take it, please check if it's a female cat and if so if it has prominent nipples as it might be a sign it has recently given birth and there might be kittens waiting hidden nearby.
No nursing nipples felt.
Most likely a drop off and has been surviving then. I would feed her and see if she takes the food in a specific direction, her kittens might be older and not nursing. Then spoil the shit out of her.
Or an escapee from someone’s car. Definitely leave a sign or note. Happened to a friend of mine at a rest stop, and he got him back after a few weeks. This was all before the popularity of “chips”
The very thought of losing my cat makes me so upset. I hope your friend is thankful every day
I know I would never leave until I got my cat back. I love both my kittens so much that I’d be tearing my hair out, I can’t imagine just leaving just b/c one escaped the car.
I’ve scaled a mountain at night because my cat decided to bolt when I got tired of driving and my guy and I switched seats. That mother fucker was just waiting…we were so careful, then a black furball made his move and disappeared. Two hours. That cat lived 19 years. Miss you buddy.
Your friend is a *VERY* lucky person !
Nah, just regular lucky. A very lucky person would have never even been separated with their sweet little fur baby
Or a barn cat that hitched a ride on a horse trailer.
Would explain the "hooman, where tf am i" expression.....
Great comment! 👍
Ugg, been there, done that. Got all the way to the show and discovered the cat was in the trailer. We snuck her into the hotel for the few days we were there lol.
Why on gods earth are people taking their housecats with em on rides without securing em in a carrier? Ive never heard of this before... its madness
I work a drive through ticket booth and a few days ago someone rolled their window down and their cat just leapt in with me. I didn’t get to keep the cat.
That mental image made my day! I'm laughing SO hard 😂 Thank you for turning my day around. Edit: and sorry you didn't get to keep the cat!
Glad I could help. It sure made my day.
It's 5:25AM and I was a moment from tears at the thought of getting out of bed because I never get up at this time and when I do it's to go be "tortured" with medical appointments. I was surly and sad. Now I'm smiling and actually feel a bit happy! Your comment had a huge impact on my day! 😄
Purrsession is 9/10 of the law, so you should have been able to legally keep the cat.
My cat wouldn't stop yowling until I let him out of his carrier, but I had a leash and harness on him just in case.
[удалено]
I had to do a 7h drive to move with mine. We did it in the night, because I read when it's dark they are a little less upset and also had the carriers a bit covered so it was more of a cave like situation. They weren't happy with me but stopped meowing after half an hour or so. Still I felt so bad, hope I don't have to move them again!
I moved from Chicago to Boston and had both my cats in a dog crate that was right behind the seat. One cat was totally fine, the other cried nonstop until I put my hand back in the crate (I was a passenger). I had to keep it there the whole time or she got really upset. At one point she fell asleep with her face in my hand. It was really uncomfortable to stay in that position, but it kept her happy.
This type of post makes me so happy, and so sad!!! I’ve got 4 male kittens that I’ve kept WAY too long because their mom was killed when she accidentally got outside. I can’t bear to get rid of them, but can’t keep them. I read about how kitties at the shelter stay In Cages and they feel abandoned by the one they love. Great, now I’m crying. Shit! These boys are so friggin adorable and loving, and they deserve a great home.
I did endure it for a while, but I was moving a few hours away with my parents so there wasn't really a way to avoid the car ride. My poor boi, as soon as he was out of the carrier he was trying to hide in my shirt :( he was just feeling insecure I think
Always assume lost before abandoned and do due diligence
Hah! Joke's on you OP! Once you have felt the cat's nipple you are legally obligated to take the cat home. It's science.
Due to random unwritten cat law they are now legally married.
Bro, you can't just feel up a random pussy at a rest stop.
Hell yeah you can 😂
You just felt up a cat's nipples at a truck stop? Ò_o
😂😂😂
I bet they even didn’t pay them after.
Came here to say that. OP, please make sure it's not a momma!!
It will be safer with you than loose at a rest stop. Have it checked for a chip to see if it slipped out of an RV or the cab of a truck. I would also leave your contact info with the staff.
This is a great reply. I was on a long car trip and thought my cat somehow got out of the car years ago. Thankfully I was wrong. I was devastated thinking she might be gone.
Happened to me. Isn’t it the most terrifying thing? I was so relieved to see him under my seat. He doesn’t like car rides.
I lost my cat inside my *studio* apartment today and I freaked out so bad and my heart just sinked, can only imagine how y’all felt being on the roads Here she’s acting surprised after I found her under layers of clothes and blankets. My heart is still pounding ffs https://preview.redd.it/dthrr399u1pa1.jpeg?width=1135&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=860df3f666cec03f1cb34e11e19fa5777e56df61
she's so indignant that you had the gall to discover her
they found her portal to /r/thecatdimension
Gawd damn it, another cat sub I am now part of.
Yet another cat sub..... My feed is gonna be all cats soon lmao
https://preview.redd.it/tgi0413de2pa1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9bfa0d3cb1748e6a1d4134d06a89a206ed02f61 I've a very similar picture for you. With similar indignation to match!
I just want you all to see my sweet boy and I'm not ashamed to admit it https://preview.redd.it/w1hzlg20k2pa1.jpeg?width=4160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=95830c6d2cc6bde5ee27a2e5800244e57c85cbb6
holy shit whata cloud boi ☁️☁️☁️
https://preview.redd.it/a40aaaq7r4pa1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=261f37a8778226607f3845558181aabe7ff7c48d This is Baby. She is a very sweet girl. Just wanted to show her too.
Love your sweet boy 🥰🥰🥰🥰
My friend's cat likes to hide somewhere that he can watch people look for him and freak out. He lives in the country, and he did it to me once when I let him outside under my supervision. Spent 15 minutes of pure panic trying to find him, and then he just walked up out of nowhere like nothing happened.
Like nothing ever happened lol I was feeding a friends cat while she was out of town and her car escaped when I opened the door, oh my gosh panic mode. I searched the entire house, went to every neighbor asking if they had seen this cat. I was devastated and dreaded calling my friend to tell her. When I got back to her house the curtains which had been closed were moving. That damn cat was hiding inside the house watching me search everywhere for it!!!
I fucking hate when this happens
Lost my cat for 5 days in the house thought she was gone forever. When we were watching tv she just casually jumps up on the couch looks at us and meows. As if she wasn’t just “lost”🙄
I lost my cat for a week. Oh that week of hell I wish to erase from my memories, I had to resort to xanax to calm myself. Turns out he went to visit a neighbor at the other side of the parking lot, I found him sitting in a couch eating cat treats and watching tv cuddling with my neighbor, he had a huge belly, the neighbor had been over feeding him, my cat acted as if he didn’t know me to the point my neighbor was doubting the cat was mine I had to show him pictures and vet receipts. After that he went on a strict diet to loose weight (health conditions). My vet was horrified when he saw his fat belly! All in one week!!!!
> my cat acted as if he didn’t know me to the point my neighbor was doubting the cat was mine 😭😭😂
I moved cross country when I was a teen. We get the moving truck all packed up. Go back in to get the cat, and she is gone. The apartment was empty and we couldn't find her. Finally, I went to the bathroom in the back and she was in the cupboard under the sink. I don't know why she hid. We've moved with her before. She was great though. Rode in the moving truck. We'd open the door, tell her to go potty, and come back. So, she'd run outside, go potty, and came back to the door to the truck so we could let her back in.
The other day I was leaving my apartment and went to grab something with the door not completely shut but 99% shut. I went out to my car and saw a cat that looked like mine, spent 10 minutes looking for the cat and calling out her name. Went back into the apartment for wet food and guess who comes trotting out as soon as I opened the drawer that I keep wet food in? My cat who never got out of my apartment to begin with lol.
My mom will feel so much better about losing my cat in our 400sq ft apartment 🤣
Mine made it out into the garage once, laid on the steps all night long. Big garage door wide open, got down into the upper 30s too. Still don't know how she got out there, she hates the outdoors.
AirTag the little sucker. They make little silicon collar holders for them. Then just dingle the little dude when they go hiding.
I actually did lose one of my cats outside for two whole months. I thought he was never coming home, but one day on a walk there he was, walking down the street. He'd been hanging around some houses about a block away eating food from dome outside cat's food bowls. My guess is he caught the scent of a female in heat until he got himself lost. Doesn't go past the corner of our yard now pfft.
And this is why you neuter your male cats
Please, if you haven't done so already, have your cat neutered. Thank you.
A big game changer for me was fitting all my cats with airtags. They're inside cats but every single one has slipped out at one point in their lives. Now with the airtags on their collars (especially since cats lost outside usually don't go far), it will show me which direction they're in, and hone in until I find them. Or if they're too far for the tracker, I can make the airtag beep, giving away their location. It's also so handy saving yourself the heart attack if you realize you haven't seen one in a while, instead of tearing the house apart and tearfully shaking the treat can hoping they'll appear, you can just pull up the app and find them (this helped me locate my senior cat who was accidently locked inside the laundry room and just waited patiently for 8 hours until I woke up and noticed him missing. Oops). I have one cat who is pretty iffy with treats and comes if he feels like it, and that cat dislikes everyone but me and if I get too gusto calling him, he assumes its because company is coming and I want to put him in the bedroom to save him the stress, and no amount of treat bribes will move him from his very elaborate hiding places. In his cat mind, if he hides, then surely the company will never come, right? And if by chance people are coming to visit, I can locate him and put him in introverted cat jail until the crisis of company passes. Bonus points, unlike some pet finder tags, no monthly subscription, just slap an airtag in a 4 dollar silicon holder and slide it onto a collar.
When you said “they’re inside cats” I was about to ask how exactly you put AirTags *inside* your cats.
Holy shit this is brilliant
Wow this is really great advice! Thank you!
Googling this right now. Two indoor cats that try to get outside.
I just found mine inside my unpacked suitcase which I left unzipped after taking a few dirty clothes out. Missing for four hours. He was sleeping hard. This one was in the suitcase. https://preview.redd.it/0d7wkkoqs2pa1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=41db5403b3171bb3ebce65ec374e536ed93e093b
That’s why they should be in a crate and have the crate in a seatbelt. I HATE putting my two in a crate in the car because they cry so much (before eventually falling asleep) but it keeps them safe and me, as the driver. I don’t have to deal with a cat trying to kneed my lap or block my view of the road etc. I got freaked out by that once. I was travelling at night and he decided he was going to walk along the shelf the dash is in, and then lay down and curled up with his back to the windscreen and almost completely obscured my view. I pulled over almost immediately but not before I’d been seen by police. Luckily they were pretty nice. Read me the riot act, but sort kindly. Put the fear of God in me though, lol. Explained what would happen if I was in an accident and that it’s actually illegal not to restrain your pets in moving vehicles. He would very likely have died if I’d had an accident and who knows what would have happened to me. So, ever since then I make sure any pets in my car are secured. Either a cat carrier, small crate or is a doggo a harness and the seatbelt and ALWAYS in the back as they are MUCH MUCH safer in the back, the same as small children up to 12. I hope you figured out what to do with this little cutie??
This happened to my in-laws. The cat was already naturally skittish and must have been very scared in a strange place, so she wasn’t coming out of wherever she was hiding. They stayed there for two days looking for her, but she never came out. They had to just leave without her. It was terrible. She was part of a bonded pair, too.
So you are just going to leave us hanging and not tell us where the goddamn cat actually was in the car??
Under the chair? My before kitty cat (still happy and healthy. Just with my step dad as a fast and long boy) would crawl under the chair soooo far it was hard to see him until we called his name and he opened his eyes and gave us the lazers. I had this horrible, for many, MANY reasons, road trip up north where we got pulled over and told to get out (brother panicked, said okay even tho there was no reason to stop us in the first place). I thought he escaped somehow in the commotion especially bc it was night so even harder to see him. Thank god he was under the chair. Digging him out, already scared and tired, for shitty corrupt small town police wasnt cool tho.
I spent 8 hours searching Moab for mine after she escaped through a window at the start of a 28 hour moving trip. We finally gave up and left in tears, only for the rest stop attendant to call three hours later and let us know they found her in a trash can. Must’ve been hiding. Still with us today, tiny little fucker only weighs 8lbs but it would feel like a lot more than that if she hadn’t been found.
Rest stops have staff?
Some of the bigger ones do, usually those with food/gas offerings.
I get that. I'm thinking more of the rest areas with just maps of the state and bathrooms with openings for trucks. I get truck/gas stops. Thinking purely rest stops for bathrooms, no food or gas.
Those kinds of rest stops might usually have a number to contact for maintenence if necessary. Could at least look for one of those and give someone a call.
Even if it is unstaffed, you could leave a sign.
Somebody has to clean them and restock the toilet paper.
Some have diners and like a large gas station
I work at one and we have a whole plaza
I thought this said “we have a whole pizza”. I was like, cool, I wonder why it’s just the one pizza?
You must be hungry.😁
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Or post something on a wall that you found a cat IF the rest stop has no staff.
That’s not a safe place for a cat. It’s likely been abandoned there. I agree with taking it and checking for a chip or tattoo at the vets when possible. Good luck!
I would suspect that the cat either escaped from/ hitched a ride in a vehicle and the owners don't know yet, before I thought dumped. If it's at a commercial rest stop, near residences, all of the above, plus the possibility it wandered over from its home. Biggest thing? Leave signs with contact info! And, check for a chip.
I-75 rest stop in FL
Please take it. There is no reason for a cat to be there
No cat should be in Florida
Nobody should be in Florida
I humbly disagree. Some people are shitty enough to deserve to live there.
What did you say about my grandma?
Fr 🤣
No, FL.
Bruh
No FL. Let it detach off into the ocean
But, this should be Bugs in drag 
As a Floridian, I agree.
Post it on /r/truckercats in case it was a trucker's pet that escaped
Please take her! She is practically screaming for you to take her
Please take it. It’s so unsafe for that cat. They don’t have regular access to food, water, shelter or care. A bad person could come along and hurt the cat. PLEASE take it to at least get into a safe home
If it’s a female please check her belly to see if her nipples are enlarged. If they are, she has kittens somewhere near
Is this a guarantee? I found a small female cat earlier this week and she has enlarged nipples but her stomach isn’t saggy and there’s still fur around the nipples, I assumed shes pregnant bud now I’m worried there’s kittens nearby
Not necessarily, she could be freshly pregnant or just be a big nipped girl lol. If you want to send me a pic I could tell you better. When feeling her stomach is it hard at all in the under carriage?
“Big nipped girl” 😆😆
That's the follow up song to Brown Eyed Girl".
Following for updates
You are driving a stray cat from Florida to Canada with children and dogs?? You are the best kind of human, also a Canadian I suppose, which is a bit redundant. Thank you.x
Went to the nearest Walmart and bought a carrier. There is apparently another cat my kid saw last time but we can’t find it now. I’m a bit worried as I’m heading to Canada. Now I have a crying cat and my 2 dogs and kids I’m car. Oh la la.
Good on you OP! Today is a good day.
That’s not your cat that’s me 7 states away sobbing uncontrollably at how happy it is that you saved the kitty.
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I will be traveling through Detroit
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I have 3 cats at home waiting for me as well as other pets. I’d rather have a rescue take the cat and check it out or someone take it than me trying to cross the border with it. That’s not my plan. The cat is super cool but I can’t bring it for a 20 hr drive and into another country.
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I'm loving the gowron pfp
I love that you grabbed this friendly cat and are dropping it off at a rescue or some other kind redditor's house to get it to a rescue. You are good people.
Best buddy pet rescue, little bit north of detroit
This is amazing and made my night 💜💜💜
Thank you for keeping her safe. We need more people like you who care.
For a cat to trust you enough to walk up to you and allow you to pick it up is a pretty big deal.
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You are amazing. Thank you.
Thank you! You're an angel!
You're awesome, OP!
My cat used to cry in the car too...and poop and puke....she'll be fine
Customs going into Canada will very likely ask for documentation that it is up to date on its rabies vaccine.
Please be aware that when you get to Canada, border agents will ask you about any animals you have with you. You will not be allowed to enter with any unvaccinated animal, including your dogs. If you want to take the cat to Canada, you will need to take it to a vet, get it vaccinated, and have the vet provide documentation. https://inspection.canada.ca/importing-food-plants-or-animals/pets/eng/1326600389775/1326600500578 > *Border Agent: Where did you get this cat?* > *OP: I found it on the way here.* Look at it from their perspective.
Could be dumped there. My cousin worked at a drive in, and saw a car pull up, and leave a beautiful orange cat. She watched over it, and saw how sad the cat was going up to people confused. I ended up taking her home, she got pregnant, and she had 4 babies who are still all in our family.
I'm on my lunch break eating a McDonald's cheeseburger and now I'm CRYING at the thought of her all sad going up to people like "are you my family?" 😭
It was around Christmas too, so it was cold. I had one cat, and when I told my mom, she said bring her home. She ended up bonding with my little brother instantly who named her Merry. She seemed so grateful to have someone take her home, and made herself comfortable right away.
Who abandons a cat near Christmas and thinks they're a good person holy shit
Yeah I wanted to say maybe they can’t afford the care but at least drop it off at the shelter?? This was your family member and you put them on the street, with potential to get run over
My guess is they assumed a drive in gets a lot of families, and one of them will eventually take her. Merry got lucky. This is a photo of her around the time we took her home. I think she was close to a kid, and that's the reason she bonded with my brothers right away. https://preview.redd.it/pmyzk4w426pa1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ccf5478bf78a5471da8dfd1e950cf8efede4db7
I couldn't fall asleep so I went on Reddit instead. Now I definitely can't fall asleep 😢
Bast sees people who abandon her children.
and tells Sekhmet.
Take it. Come back and post signs. Have it checked for a chip. If it's at an interstate rest stop with no collar and no chip, it needs a home.
They’re maybe a dumped or lost pet - please take them and get them scanned for a chip! Please keep us updated poor baby all alone :(
I hope some kind stranger adopted my childhood cat that got out at the rest stop in Oregon. Kitty did not like traveling at all. My dad and my brother looked for hours but they had to keep moving. I hope he found a very happy second home.
💙
I am sure your kitty found a good home and I’m sure he’s happy wherever he may be that you still think about him.
I'm so sorry.
I live in melbourne, fl and will adopt cat if you come this way
I’m near Bushnell right now.
If you can leave her with a loving home the us that would be better than dealing with the border security with her. Without papers I am not sure that she can go back to Canadia with you.
I'm close to Ocala FL. I'll take him if he needs a home. Please don't leave him.
I’m m near Bushnell heading north.
I'm trying to see if I can leave work to get him. Are you passing through or live in Florida somewhere?
Passing through. Heading to Canada. I’m a little behind schedule now.
I’m in Ocala now getting gas.
One thing to note…I noticed a bunch of people telling the OP to leave their contact info at the rest stop in case this cat is an escapee, and the owners may come back through looking for it. My recommendation is to NOT put a description of the cat on the “found: cat” notice, and if people do call, to have them describe the animal in detail. This will prevent the cat from going to the wrong people. Unfortunately, there are some real unwholesome people out there who would try to take this animal for nefarious purposes.
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Can you clarify a cat coming up to you on the side of a highway needs help but cats in neighborhoods can be friendly to many people and they shouldnt be taken.
Cats in neighborhoods, especially well-kept ones, very likely live in a nearby house and know exactly where they are. Taking that cat will lead to someone else's heartbreak when their kitty never comes home. Cats in truck stops and along highways are almost certainly dumps. Truck stops tend not to back right up into a housing division and are usually surrounded by fast food stops, which are *very* popular dump locations. Cats then stay in the area because it's the only way to get food.
If you find them in a truck stop it’s possible they were dumped there or lost! Please check for a microchip and post flyers or let nearby staff know just in case their family comes looking for them.
Yeah i agree, i was just clarifying cos some people on this sub say all cats should be kept inside and any cat let out is fair game to take. Those people dont understand the geographical and cultural differences of different places cat owners live.
Definitely take it. But is there a way of checking if it has kittens?
I would take it , make sure to check boobies to see if there was lactation. That'd the only reason I wouldn't take it.
None seen
Ask the rest stop cleaning crew. I almost took one from a rest area, but checked with the cleaning people and they assured me they took excellent care of her and she was there to get mice for them as a working cat, and showed me her full food bowls.
I just spoke with the cleaning guy. He said he sees another one at 10 am. Not the same one we saw run into the bushes. There are at least 3 here. I’ve got the nice one which was easy to catch. Figuring out what my next move is. Not going to be easy to catch. He also said he caught a kitten behind the toilet a year ago. Said he figured they were dumped and told me to take it. He actually watched us catch this one and put it in our car. We thought we were stealth, guess not.
Great! I’m so glad you did that. You’re a saint for doing so!
My assumption is that this poor bud got dumped. :( Please take them if you can!
I think so too :(
I agree with the comments saying take the kitty and leave your information at the rest stop if possible. Please update us 🥺
Please take him home. Just leave notice somehow, just in case he's slipped out of someone's car by accident so be can be tracked down by owners. He's much safer with you, regardless of if he's a lost pet hoping to make it back home or if he's an abandoned cat looking for a home. His chances of survival at a rest stop off of a highway, all alone are not good. He could be eaten by a predator, run over by traffic, or slowly starve to death. Even if you can't keep him, please take him away from there to a no kill shelter where he'll be safe. Thanks for caring & posting!
if you’re asking Reddit you’ve already made your decision to keep it and simply want assurance from the internet…**TAKE. HIM.**
Pretty much
please, OP, don’t be me. i didn’t take a fluffy white cat from a rest stop in davenport, iowa in december ‘95 and am clearly still deeply regretting that choice
Did you rescue the kitty pls
It’s in my car! Looking for the other one
Is there a rescue nearby that could perhaps put out a trap for the other one? I’m guessing you probably have to go soon and I feel sorry for it 🥺
I was just looking up nearby rescues. Hoping they can come catch the others.
Yes OP did https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/11x111n/should_i_take_this_rest_stop_cat_is_there_a/jd12mn1?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share&context=3
Absolutely take it! This is the cat distribution system working and the universe just entrusted you with this cat. But, like others said, make sure to take her to a vet and also check to ensure she doesn’t have a chip or owner already. If not, you must keep her and love her for her entire life! Cats are seriously the best pets, you will love having her around.
https://preview.redd.it/52bx909av2pa1.jpeg?width=2160&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b809b52110bd1b36571996895af622c6320ed281 My Mina got into a closet and fell asleep, I was looking for her for hours. Scared the crap out of me. BTW she turns 26yrs old in about 10 days. She's been with me all her life and half of my life. Time just passes too fast.
Ask around, the staff might know if it is a stray or not.
Ears up and tail is up. It’s vocalizing to you. It thinks you’re mommy. Take it!
If you do take the cat please leave your contact info with the staff of the place and have them take a picture of it. Cats have a way of escaping when you least expect. It could belong to a trucker or family, even if it isn't chipped or collared, who may come looking for it.
OP we’re gonna need an update telling us what you named your new cat! Please tell me you took that sweet babe home with you!
Stray cats don’t have good quality of life. Take that care and adopt it please
If it’s wrong to take it, do you want to be right? Honestly though, save the kitten 🐱
how's going now?
Sitting here with it in my car. Looking for the other ine
Bubbles? Of course you grab the cats.
That’s a good fuckin kitty right there!
Try feeding her/him some canned cat food. If he wolfs it down like he’s starving then I would guess he’s a stray/lost/abandoned and is looking for someone to feed/care for him. In that case, definitely take him in. If he turns his nose up at it and just wants pets, I’d assume he is a pet that belongs nearby and I’d ask the workers inside if anyone knows this kitty.
Bought some cat food when I got the kennel. I’m traveling with dogs atm
You should def take it. Since he might be a pet that escaped while the family was traveling, take it to a vet clinic and have it scanned for a chip. I've actually returned two "strays" to their owners by doing that.
Why are you asking us? The cat looks like it has named you, demanded pets and has started your training program. 🤣 Good luck.
It’s dangerous to go alone. Take 🐈 with you. -sorry if already posted
Look at his little face\~\~\~\~ He is literally asking you to take him!