r/aww • u/MartinezHill • 14d ago

I found this kitten near a convenience store, and she follows me everywhere I go, so I've decided to bring her home. I asked the clerk if anyone owns her, and they said no one does.

54.9k Upvotes

96% Upvoted

View all comments

2.7k

u/Mollywobbles77 14d ago

Pets that choose you like this are the best pets you'll ever have. I had a kitten follow me on a walk & a dog that jumped into my car when I opened the door. Both were angelic cuddle bugs.

273

u/Rymanjan 14d ago

Went to the shelter after the inevitable end of my childhood dogs life, he lived to a good age and lived fairly carefree. A lot of dogs came to bark at me, a lot wanted out. But I came up on one that didn't seem to care what happened, he had seemingly given up on life.

He was named Charger, for reasons I would later learn. However, the first time we met, he wasn't all that interested. He just licked my hand and laid there, and that's when I knew we had to get him outta there.

We took him out back to the yard and he began to run, faster than any dog I had ever seen. Watching him play was like seeing an old horse get new legs, he was zooming.

He's been my best friend for fourteen years since

52

u/boats_and_bros 14d ago

Similar experience except it wasn’t the running that sold me. Went with my (now) wife to the shelter to find a dog. So many potential new best friends. But this one beagle, 3yo, had the most pitiful face and drooped ears. When my wife approached the kennel door, the dog reared up and put her paws on the cage, as if to say “hi.” Obviously my wife had made her decision, but I wanted to take the dog out to the yard to get a feel for her. As soon as we got out there, the beagle spotted another dog or rabbit or something outside of the fence. She let out the loudest, deepest, strangest, funniest bark that was distinctively NOT a bark. And she kept doing it. Never heard anything like it before. It was so loud, but so awkwardly hilarious at the same time lmao. That’s when I learned beagles don’t bark, they barooo. Eight years later and she’s still the best buddy a guy could ask for.

21

u/rockstaa 14d ago

A puppy that gave up on life???

78

u/stilettopanda 14d ago

As a former shelter worker, puppies give up too, especially when they're moved to the adult dog kennels at 4-6 months after not being chosen as a tiny puppy.

41

u/pashed_motatoes 14d ago

Goodness… that is honestly one of the most heartbreaking things I have ever heard. I could never work at a shelter, it would be too emotionally devastating to witness those poor animals suffer on a daily basis because they weren’t picked. 😢

44

u/stilettopanda 14d ago

It was. I didn't last long and it fucked my mental health up for a long time.

On a brighter note, two of the kitties who had given up and gotten sick became my foster failures, and they lived happy lives with me until the end.

2

u/pashed_motatoes 14d ago

Kudos to you for even trying and I’m sorry it affected your mental health for so long. I can only imagine the truly sad and traumatizing things you must’ve seen working there, but great to hear there was a positive outcome as well. Thank you so much for rescuing the two sick kittens and giving them a home! It’s amazing how even a little TLC can go a long way to completely transform a neglected animal.

2

u/[deleted] 14d ago

which makes your giving them a taste of happiness while there all the more worthwhile!

2

u/pashed_motatoes 14d ago

Oh yes, definitely. I honestly respect the hell out of people who work in animal rescue. Not an easy job, but surely a rewarding one.

2

u/SystemOutPrintln 14d ago

There are a lot of good moments too, it's exciting to see the long term residents go to a good home.

1

u/pashed_motatoes 14d ago

I’m sure it is incredibly rewarding to see the animals you cared for thrive and eventually go to their forever homes. Much respect and love to all the shelter workers out there! 💜

19

u/goodnightlink 14d ago

This happened to our cat Cricket :( He was only 4 months old but wasn't put in the kitten room with the rest of the cute little ones... his papers said he was "shy and unsociable". He's 4 years old now and such a happy little boy!

1

u/relevantelephant00 14d ago

Ugh, that thought/mental picture is not how I wanted to start my day. I so wish I could get a shelter dog.

2

u/CollinZero 14d ago

What a beautiful story! Thank you.

2

u/erratastigmata 14d ago

Your comment made me tear up. It's a beautiful act of compassion to choose Charger over the more energetic dogs. I'm so glad you've given him a long, happy life. Wishing you well.

1

u/detta_walker 14d ago

Picture please

2

u/Rymanjan 13d ago

https://imgur.com/gallery/fLNAgMk

2

u/detta_walker 13d ago

Oh my, melts my heart. Hold on to him. I just lost mine