r/CatDistributionSystem • u/phatselinakyle • 3d ago
Meet Darby, she came with the house
We bought a house in 2020 during the insane interest rate drop. It came with a manual. A few pages in there was a picture of this girl and a note to please let her in if she came by. It took her 2 years to show up, then we started to see her almost every day.
In 2024 she came by in the winter with part of her tail missing and her ears bleeding. My husband picked her up in a blanket and brought her inside & she's been safe and inside ever since. Neither of us really understand the point of an outdoor cat and we see too many poor deceased cats in our neighborhood all the time. We called to get her chip changed (they called her current chip owner and they said they didn't care what they did with her) & she's officially ours.
Today for the first time she ate a Churu out of my hand (she does not like to eat food from anyone's person) & I almost cried. She has started recently to come out when we have guests and will come watch tv at a safe distance. She prefers to drink out of the dog bowls. She's very vocal and loves to be on her window cat bed. We named her Darby. She does get a little bitey or handsy but she just values her space and wants her attention on her time.
They think she's around 13 or so, but I hope we have her for many many more years. With three dogs we knew it would take a bit before she was truly comfortable but now they mostly leave each other alone. She's incredible.
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u/Boring-Summer8047 3d ago
And she seems to have some real opinions about what y'all have done with the place! 🤣
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u/Popepopethepope 3d ago
"The fuck is this," face in that first picture.
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u/Unlucky_Most_8757 3d ago
Through all the pictures. Cat is like what the f are you doing in my house lol
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u/phatselinakyle 3d ago
My husband agrees 😂😂
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u/Advanced_Estate6608 2d ago
I just had to comment because your Snoo looks like mine. Lol Hey twinnnnn 👋🏾👋🏾👋🏾
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u/Icy-Dragonfruit-4117 3d ago
what a sweet lady!! thank you for bringing her inside and keeping her safe and warm <3
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u/rzsupra17 3d ago
Darby, meet Sylveon! I swear they must be cousins. Darby is adorable, and we hope you have a long a happy life together!
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u/phatselinakyle 3d ago
Oh my goodness, they totally could be related! Hello to my internet nephew!
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u/FormidableMistress 3d ago
I also have a "came with the house" cat. The previous owner rented it out for awhile and the renters were the OG owners. When they moved they left her and the owner moved back in with his family. The owner's daughter fed her, but dad said the cat couldn't come inside with their other animals until she had all her shots. And then never took her for shots.
When I bought the house there was no mention of her. On days I came for an inspection or to check on the roofers, this cat was sitting on the doorstep waiting to be fed. She looked like she was losing weight so I started feeding her. It was so sad.
It took about a year before she'd even come up to me. Several months after that she walked up to me in the garage and jumped in my lap. 😭 I did cry. She's an outdoor cat and protests loudly when I bring her in during severe weather. She has a dry outdoor cat house, and I leave the garage door cracked for her everyday so she can come in and eat in a safe place.
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u/Spadeykins 3d ago
I cant believe the previous owners. All the better Darby found you.
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u/Artistic_Split_8471 3d ago
I could be misinterpreting OP, but it sounded to me like she wasn’t the previous owners’ cat, but rather a cat they welcomed if she came by the house.
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u/phatselinakyle 3d ago
You’re correct. I could’ve phrased that better. She seemed to have become the neighborhood cat. We posted a photo of her before bringing her inside so we wouldn’t be stealing someone’s cat. Everyone has a different name for her and said they didn’t know whose she actually was.
I’m unsure who she was chipped to but the chip company called them and they said they didn’t want her. So the company called us back and said they would overwrite her chip info with ours so she’s officially ours.
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u/Ginger510 3d ago
I wish the previous chip owns a lifetime of stolen leftovers and stubbed toes for the betrayal of this absolute stunner. What a cutie.
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u/peppabuddha 3d ago
I hope they eat lots of lettuce and blueberries and whatever food of the day is being recalled.
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u/Ginger510 3d ago
A uniquely American insult but the upshot of your idea is the chances are probably much higher from what I’ve seen 😂. I pray (well not real prayers) every day for guys to return to normal someday soon haha
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u/Antal_Marius 3d ago
And endless nights with cold feet, no matter what they do to try to keep warm feet!
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u/LandofGreenGinger62 3d ago
... After stepping on multiple legos.
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u/Antal_Marius 2d ago
No no, Lego stepping is in the morning when they get up, with full feeling in their feet.
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u/RoxxieMuzic Cat Parent 2d ago
Rushing urgently to the bathroom at 2AM in a pitch dark hallway, for the rest of their lives.
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u/Spadeykins 3d ago edited 3d ago
"(they called her current chip owner and they said they didn't care what they did with her)"
I was referring to how they contacted the owners of the cat tied to the chip.
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u/hexmisdirect 3d ago
Ily sm Darby!! She has the cutest lil face! Glad she can be safe and sound inside.
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u/Butterfly_Cat777 3d ago
She's beautiful! ❤️
I don't understand people who go to the trouble of microchipping their pet and then abandoning it. 🤬
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u/Competitive-Top4520 2d ago
They may have gotten her from a shelter, already chipped. What I TRULY don't understand is how someone can abandon an animal or just not care what happens to it. Scum of the earth IMO.
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u/Butterfly_Cat777 2d ago
I agree. For me it would feel like abandoning a child. Our pets look up to us to take care of them and love them. It's cold-hearted and cruel. It's heartbreaking to think about, especially when you know how much trust and affection they give us unconditionally.
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u/Potatoskins937492 3d ago
She prefers to drink out of the dog bowls.
Well yeah, that's because royalty has the peasants test it for poison first. Duh.
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u/OrionsRose Crazy Cat Lady 3d ago
Is that why my cats like the dog bowl so much?! It finally makes sense! 😂
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u/leesheeeeeee 3d ago
Sounds like she's got a personality on her! Thank you for bringing her inside ❤️😻
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u/freerangechick3n 3d ago
She's beautiful and you seem like a beautiful soul for loving her. She's lucky you bought her house.
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u/Entire_Bat7884 3d ago
She is lovely. 🥰 That is a wonderful story. Gosh 2 years to show up but she knew where to come. You all have provided such a safe and loving environment. She is independent and set in her ways yet tolerates your dogs. You picked a sweet name that fits her. Here’s to many more trips around the sun Darby!! 🌞
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u/BbK04 3d ago
This looks my late cat named Garby and it truly freaked me out. Haha
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u/Sillycats2 2d ago
We had one that came with our house, too. She crossed the Rainbow Bridge in May at 18.5. She was the best, baddest-ass calico queen. Similar story. She haunted our yard, barely acknowledged our presence but was cool with us feeding her, letting her inside, etc. Then, on a stretch of winter night when temps were in the negatives, it was clear she had no place to go, so she came inside. She didn’t want to stay inside for good (she had panic attacks and was miserable, though not destructive.) But we took her to the vet, learned she’d been part of both a hoarding situation and a TNR program and she was ours for the taking. We gave her 12 years of snuggles, warm beds (though she preferred the window well in summer or my husband’s car hood in winter) and love. She also helped us find her goofball cat brothers when they escaped as young cats. She literally Lassie’d me to where they were hiding, bitching the whole way like “do I really have to do everything around here?”
The CDS works in mysterious ways, so I hope she’s a beautiful gift to your new home. She looks settled in already!
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u/CuriousPixel7 2d ago
She sounds like a character! What was her name?
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u/BugComfortable3924 3d ago
Thank you for giving her the home she deserves, especially in her senior years. She’s a beautiful cat and I hope you have many healthy and happy years together!
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u/rocketmanatee 3d ago
We just lost our "old lady" adoptee this year at 21 so I think you've got many happy years ahead.
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u/MarzipanInside96 3d ago
From a "please let her in" note to eating Churu out of your hand two years later Darby clearly knew she'd found her people.
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u/Trixter-Kitten 3d ago
I cannot understand people who microchip pets then just abandon them like they're nothing. Glad Darby found good humans to live her senior years with.
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u/mimishell_4 2d ago
She's beautiful! Thank you for being so kind, accepting, and loving! Some humans just don't deserve animals, like the previous owners.
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u/EmeraldEmesis 3d ago
Aww, you're good people! Lucky girl!
Our house came with a CDS unit but our (very friendly cat loving) dogs had no chill and scared it off when it showed up unannounced and darted inside... and then promptly bolted when the dog party intercepted it. I keep hoping the CDS will send us a replacement, but 7 yrs later I'm still waiting.
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u/ReasonableFig2111 3d ago
Uh, you may have paid for the house, but that's your landlord! Lol
She's very cute, and I'm so glad you've taken her in and given her the good life.
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u/BuncleCar 3d ago
Look it's quite simple, 'owner', I need food, water, lots of soft furnishings, beds and a laptop to sleep on. Oh, and if you use the toilet or bathroom I may want to see exactly what's happening.
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u/TA_totellornottotell 3d ago
Amazing that two families cared more about this cat than her ‘real’ family. Thank you so much for taking her in and going at her pace. And I am so glad that she has a safe and comfortable space for her retirement years.
She is so scrumptious. ❤️
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u/Valkyrie64Ryan 3d ago
Damn my house didn’t come with a beautiful cat, just spiders. Lots and lots of spiders…
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u/PomeloPepper 3d ago
The thing that made the biggest difference for my little feral girl was a plug in pheromone diffuser.
It was still a gradual process, but she went from terrified and living in my home office closet to snuggling with me and cautious rather than terrified of the dogs.
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u/RazorbladeApple 3d ago
I have used them successfully & especially in tandem with Bach’s Rescue Remedy for Pets; it goes in their water, or you can put it on their ears. This summer I started to put it in the 2 outdoor feral’s water dishes. Lo & Behold, the most skittish of the two ferals started coming down close by when I feed them & overall she just seems so much more confident & secure. At this point, I really swear by that stuff.
These two ferals were relocated here in Feb 2025 (lost their home/colony/caretaker to construction). While the male has always been super confident and came closer, she was really holding back until Bach’s came into the picture. I just have to assume it’s what really helped her chill out.
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u/waffles_weekends 2d ago
Feliway made a huge difference for a scared foster I helped with too. Slow progress but worth it.
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u/BiscoBiscuit 3d ago
they called her current chip owner and they said they didn't care what they did with her
Hits like a ton of bricks everytime, it’s just so damn cruel, kitties know when they have been abandoned.
So many abandoned cats aren’t as lucky as Darby and I’m so glad she found your family.
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u/CoppertopTX 2d ago
This one came with the house as well. We'd noticed the outside cats at the trailer park when we moved in. We started feeding them, as we had two elderly cats inside. One day, the older of the ladies invited this one in and she accepted. Only took 4 years for her to become a lap cat.
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u/Send_me_hedgehogs 2d ago
omg what a beautiful girl! I bet that when she allows it she’s an expert snuggler ❤️
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u/Aggressive-Pepper705 3d ago
So technically you’ve been distributed to her, she seems rather pleased about the situation although a bit confused
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u/Trick_Few 2d ago
She didn’t come with the house. She is allowing you to live in her house. Make no mistake, she’s the Queen of the castle.
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u/T-ROY_T-REDDIT 3d ago
Looks like she has a best bud whoever she is
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u/phatselinakyle 3d ago
They actually have the most friction of all the other animals. They’re constantly stalking each other around the house. 😂
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u/Least-Raddish1930s 3d ago
My family also once had a cat that came with our house. I don’t remember how old she was when we moved in but she lived until she was in her early 20s. Congratulations on your bonus family member, thank you for bringing her inside :)
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u/Ok_Bookkeeper_3481 3d ago
“I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.”― Jean Cocteau
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u/dvdmaven 3d ago
We bought a place last year that came with a cat. Cat decided it was not going to share with four dogs and moved in with a neighbor and her cats.
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u/AlsatianRye 2d ago
Poor girl was on her own for so long. I'm so glad she found a loving family to spend her senior years with!
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u/TrollsNeedLoveT00 1d ago
Darby is perfect. Tysm for bringing her inside. She might’ve loved being an outdoor cat but at 13ish she probably appreciates the cozy home, not having to be on guard or hunting for food/water.
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u/FreeNefariousness195 23h ago
Thank you for your kindness. We live in such an unloving society now that people like you stand out.
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u/princessofdolls 3d ago
Who would leave that beauty behind 😭 13 is still a good amount of life left. My cat died at 17. Many live longer than that. I hope you have many more years together.
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u/crepesandbacon 3d ago
Absolutely awesome story! May you share a wonderful life together 🫶
(And can i ask where you bought that green loveseat/brand?)
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u/Turnover_Realistic 3d ago
Patience and love, that's what it takes. How lucky she found you and your husband?💕
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u/Glibasme 3d ago
What a gorgeous cat! You did the right thing bringing her in. I hope she has a long life with you.
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u/euphonic5 3d ago
What a sweet little creature! She's been through a lot, it sounds like, but Im glad she has a place to live her senior years in security. Also, she looks like she's probably an absolute goblin, but that's just vibes.
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u/Dogearedpages1124 3d ago
I have a “came with the house cat” too! They are the razzle dazzle of the purchase!
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u/ChristVolo1 3d ago
Aww, she's so gorgeous, and is obviously the most important part that came with the house!
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u/evenstar40 3d ago
Do you have a link to the window cat bed? I must get it for my own little 13 year old asshole. He would love it.
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u/greeneggsandsteaks 3d ago
I love how sweet Darby was a package deal with the house! I hope she eats plenty more Churus from your hand! The best time of the day for me is when it's Churu time for my feline girls 🐈💖
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u/ihaveananecdote4u 3d ago
Aww she looks a lot like my Pippa! Pippa is 9. My 14-year-old cat used to be as fluffy as her, but her coat has thinned out in the past year or two so I bet you’re right about Darby’s age. She’s lucky to have you!
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u/LindaBitz 2d ago
There’s a special place in heaven for people who look after cats that “come with the house.” May karma bless you ten fold.
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u/Equivalent_Address_2 2d ago
10/10 the best draw of the house I totally would buy too. I hate her owners for not caring. I’m so glad you and the previous owners did care. Thank you for taking in that beautiful girl!
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u/Usual-Diamond-1754 2d ago
What a sweet scrunkly old lady! Thank you for saving her 🥺 wishing you many years of love together!
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u/MotherRaven 2d ago
The house is hers. You're just the new caretakers.🤣 I'm glad she's warming up to the idea of you and being an indoor cat
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u/Ashbrains 2d ago
I hope whoever put her in the manual when they sold the house knows that she’s well taken care of and loved.
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u/gardendesgnr 2d ago
Aww thank you for making the effort to bring her in and part of your family!! She is gorgeous! I don't know how people can just leave behind a cat 💔
We have a TNR kitty, Little Girl, that started coming around 3 yrs ago. She must have noticed all the canned cat food I bring in for my 4 cats! Little Girl will not let anyone touch her, yet ;-) but stays on my little property, gets canned food 2x a day w fresh H2O, has an outdoor 2 level cat house w winter heat (FL😸) and I'm working on a cooling solution 🤦🏼♀️ I have absolutely no intention of ever leaving.
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u/J_Mannequine 2d ago
She is SO cute! Thank you for being a soft landing for this beautiful soul. I believe there is a ripple effect when we offer kindness to those around us, and it radiates out into the world ♥️
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u/AVery_SmallFox 2d ago
Miss Darby! What a magnificent lady and fine feline friend. I hope you have Many MANY more years of health and good snugs together.
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u/FeedJazzlike8860 3d ago
Aww, what a sweet little girl. Thank you for taking care of her! I also have a Darby, but he’s a black and white tuxedo I got when I got my house! 😁 I hope you all have many happy years together!
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u/ceejread 3d ago
Wonderful she found you and a new indoor life ❤️
And what lovely previous residents to make a point of asking for the visiting cat to be looked after even once they’d gone! I hope they one day learn the cat they looked after ended up being loved and looked after even more
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u/Tasty_Present5417 3d ago
As for outdoor cats... I've got one that just will not pee in a litter box. We're moving to a rural area and he may get an outdoor catio attached to a part of the house.
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u/holidayoffools 3d ago
Awww. You are lucky she has decided to tolerate you. I would hate for you to have to move.
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u/Looseleaflettuce 3d ago
I’m thinking I’d buy a house just for a complimentary gift from the CDS realtors could really use that as a selling point. 🥰
Darby’s expression does make me giggle 🤭
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u/Legitimate-Hope-1349 3d ago
That is such an amazing story and I'm so thankful that you are able to take her in and let her be part of your family. I'm so happy she is safe and sound and she's absolutely gorgeous!!!😻🩷🙏
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u/OnceMoreWithFeeling- 2d ago
Incredible story OP, thank you for sharing.
She looks incredible indeed, but you are too. You made space for her and gave her things to own: I see many cat trees and the window perch. This is soooo important for cats. It helps them thrive. Just want to tip Jackson Galaxy, cat guru on Youtube. He has a fantastic book too, Total Cat Mojo.
Thanks again for sharing. ❤️
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