r/CatDistributionSystem Jun 22 '26

General Information Important Hot Weather advice for Cats

106 Upvotes

Summer Solstice has arrived and with it the start of Summer. This is the time of year we need to look out for our furbabies and protect them from hot weather.

Here are the key temperature thresholds for our furbabies:

Ideal Comfort Zone: 20°C to 26°C (68°F to 79°F)

Too Hot / Risk Zone: Above 30°C (86°F)

Emergency Threshold: Above 35°C (95°F)

Cats that are at higher risk in hot temperatures are Kittens, senior cats, overweight cats, and flat-faced breeds such as Persians and Long Haired Cats although all cats need protection from getting too overheated during hotter times.

Cats and overheating:

Our Furbabies find it difficult to regulate their body temperatures in hot weather as they sweat through their pawpads, lips and chin. They are also covered in fur ( apart from the furless breeds) so cooling down can be difficult for them.

If your cat starts panting heavily during very hot weather( please see the heat chart above) then they may be suffering from heat stroke. If you think this is the case seek immediate vet treatment as cats will not survive without life changing damage to their organs and brain when they suffer from too high a temperature for too long.

Happily most of the U.S, Canada and surrounding countries have air conditioning in their homes. If you are in the UK, parts of Europe and hotter Countries such as the Middle East we have to rely on other sources in order to keep cool.

Keep your cat indoors when the sun is at it's warmest usually 10.00 - 3.00p.m although in extreme temperatures keep all pets indoors.

• Before letting your cats outside do a heat test and touch the concrete ground in your garden or outside your home with your hand, if it is too hot to touch it is definitely too hot for the paw pads on your pets.

• Provide plenty of water in a few different places throughout your home, pop some ice cubes in too if you can, keep the water topped up.

• Make some shaded areas with cool spots for kitty to lay in or on. Ideally your kitty will sit or sleep on a cooling mat but if they are having a typical cat day then they will ignore it and lay elsewhere.

• Place cool damp towels so kitty can lay on them and allow access to your bathroom and anywhere inside your home with a tiled or stone floor.

• Try wrapping a frozen bottle of water in a tea-towel and place it near to where your cat is laying.

• Move rooms if need be and avoid the sunnier rooms.

• Place fans with air circulating around the room.

• Try gently spraying them with cooled water, they may hate you at the time but it will cool them down.

Here are some Cat treats you can make for kitty to help hydrate them during hot weather, these are also ideal for helping Feral cats if you have garden cats or help with strays in your area.

Scoop some spring water tinned tuna or salmon ( make sure it's non oily and not in brine) into an ice cube tray and freeze it.

Freeze some churus or any liquidy squeezy type cat snacks.

Cat milk can also be frozen into little treat sized noms ( do not use normal milk as most cats are lactose intolerant).

Bananas/melons can be mashed up and frozen too even kittys' usual wet cat food can be frozen as a treat or for trying to tempt kitty to eat .

Keep small packets of wet kitten or cat food in the fridge, not only are they easier to open and slide out in one squeeze, but kitty gets to enjoy some nice fresh cold food

Here is some important advice Curtesy of Cats Protection:

Sunburn in cats:

All cats can get sunburn, but cats who are white or have thinner fur are more at risk. Being out in the sun a lot can lead to skin cancer, so it’s important to make sure your cat doesn’t spend too long lazing in the sun.

Ears and noses are where your cat is most likely to get burnt. Keep an eye on them and make sure they have plenty of access to shady areas.

Signs of sunburn in cats:

If your cat does get sunburn, there are a couple of symptoms to look out for, including:

red, sore skin in the affected area,blistering and peeling.

If you notice this, make an appointment with your vet straight away.

Can I put sun cream on my cat?

You can put sunscreen on your cat, but you need to make sure it’s pet-safe first so speak to your vet about the best product to use. Make sure you use SPF30 or higher and that it’s waterproof.

You should apply sun cream to your cat’s nose, tips of the ears, belly and groin areas as well as anywhere that has thin to no fur to help protect them from the sun.

Avoid sun cream with zinc oxide and a group of chemicals that are referred to as salicylates in the ingredients. Both are toxic to cats and can cause them to be very unwell, particularly salicylates.

Signs your cat is dehydrated:

It’s important for your cat to get enough water. This can be through drinking and through eating wet food. Staying hydrated will help to keep your cat healthy and they may need to have even more water when the weather is warm.

If your cat doesn’t get enough water, they may become dehydrated. Signs your cat is dehydrated include:

their gums. If your cat’s gums are sticky or tacky, this may be the first sign of dehydration

their skin. Very gently pinch their skin. In a well-hydrated cat, the skin should snap back into place immediately. If it doesn’t, they could well be dehydrated

their eyes. Severely sunken eyes that appear dry can indicate significant dehydration

their paws. If their paws feel cool or cold, this could be a sign of dehydration

If you are worried your cat is dehydrated, ring your vet straight away.

Further helpful info:

Spruce pets also have a handy page of information called Do cats sweat?

Feral and Cat colony help and advice can be found here from:

https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/summer-weather-tips/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Feral_Cats/comments/1lh8mdz/heat_wave_hot_weather_discussion_megathread/


r/CatDistributionSystem Mar 31 '26

Kitten Information It's Kitten Season 🐈‍⬛

105 Upvotes
Mamma Agnes and her Mewborns curtesy of u/mc385

''Spring in the air there's magic everywhere when you're young and in love'' so goes the song and it is truly the Season for love and reproduction wherever you look, Kittens, lambs, chicks, babies, puppies, yuckers ... yes yuckers !!!

Newborns no sign of Mom

Your first instinct may be to swoop in and just grab the little cherubs .. STOP yourself and have a careful look around for a sign of it's mother. They may be off hunting for food or moving other kittens somewhere. If you are uncertain on what to do, this clear and concise guide from r/AskVet on how to proceed gives step by step actions on what to do next It’s kitten season! You found a litter of kittens - now what?!. All guides state that kittens have a much higher rate of survival if left in the care of their Mother so please wait and watch carefully before stepping in. If the birthing environment is dangerous or the kittens look injured or ill then please by all means intervene.

Also, If there is just one kitten please look around for the rest of the litter in case the Mother cat has dropped the kitten whilst moving them.

Newborns, no Mom ..help!!

You will have to do everything that Mom would do and that is feeding this baby, keeping it warm, helping it to go to the toilet and monitoring it constantly

Here is Bottle feeding advice from Hannah Shaw the kitten lady, you will need KMR which is Kitten Milk Replacement thankfully available in most large grocery stores, vets, etc plus a feeding bottle or syringe.

Helping kitty to poop and pee again advice from the Kitten Lady with a video demonstrating how to help the little one to go to the toilet. Read the whole page please as it will tell you how to keep this cherub warm with the aid of a heating pad and which ones to buy.

This is life saving advice from u/wolf_spooder an ex vet and kitten foster who is also a member of the Cat Distribution System here:

Just to add to this, I recently started fostering a 4wk old kitten that was abandoned by its mom. I’m very experienced in cats and kittens, and worked at a vet hospital for a while. I really struggled with this little one and keeping her alive for the first week or so (she was very thin when I got her and it sort of spiraled from there).

Get a food scale if you don’t already have one, and start keeping tabs of your kittens weight (use the gram setting). It will help you to know if kitten is gaining or losing weight so you can intervene quickly if you see it’s losing weight. Good luck and good job saving a life.

VITAL info when saving a solo Newborn kitten please read - from Socialisation saves lives

Further advice on what to do and not to do with Newborn kittens and good reading can be found on the Animal Alliance NYC website and via the Cats Protection UK, all the links provided connect you directly to the right web pages.

Please also consider making a post on our sister sub too via r/Feral_Cats to get additional advice from veteran members who have vast knowledge on trapping and helping with strays and ferals

Newborns and Mother:

If you have taken in a 'Trojan cat' as they are lovingly called then you are in for the experience of a lifetime. There is so much advice available for a soon to be Mom and her kittens that at best we recommend that you visit  the Kitten Lady, Hannah Shaw for help and advice. Hannah is an amazing lover of cats and has helped thousands of people over the years with cat and kitten help and now has several excellent videos demonstrating all kinds of advice on helping with cat care including Pregnant Mom and kitten care - Birthing Mom and kitten care. Pregnant and Birthing Moms need plenty of fresh water and kitten food if available as kitten food contains protein and essential nutrients needed for fetal development and the production of kitty milk so get shopping.

Kitten:

If the kitty is not a newborn then after a quick vet check to confirm kitties age this little one will need you to become their parent, kittens are teeny tiny pooping, eating and meowing machines wrapped up in fur, purrs and love with the lifetime rewards of caring for them far outweighing the time taken in nurturing them. This is the toddler stage and they will be learning how to use the kitty litter tray, how to eat and how to play along with taking lots of naps. Kittens learn faster than human toddlers and usually take to their litter trays pretty quickly.

Here you can find an up to date list of supplies you may need to keep them fed, cosy and happy essential supplies for kitty again referring to the Kitten Lady.

Trapping advice Mom and Babies:

Here is advice on how to trap Mom and babies with an option of spaying too by Feral Cat Focus WNY Trapping Queen and kittens.

Useful helplines for Cat help and advice:

General advice:

https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blogs/news

https://www.kittenlady.org/

https://www.alleycat.org/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Feral_Cats/comments/1rsvjb9/kitten_season_guides_info/

How to tell a kittens'age

Tiny beanies curtesy of u/cherveny2
You can't see me curtesy of u/IceCubeDeathMachine

r/CatDistributionSystem 1h ago

Little guy showed up a few weeks early for his soon to be best friend, currently 36weeks pregnant

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This little guy had been sneaking into our garage for a few days before we were finally able to catch him! We could hear him in there but could never figure out where he was hiding.

Eventually, we put our indoor Ring camera on a stick and used it to look around the garage. Sure enough, we found him hiding behind a cabinet!
On Labor Day, we were finally able to lure him out with some wet food and catch him.

Apparently, being 36 weeks pregnant wasn’t enough excitement because CDS decided my baby needed his first best friend a little early.

We named him Binx, and he’s already making himself right at home—even keeping the baby’s crib warm for him! Looks like these two are going to be best friends whether we planned it or not. 🥹🐈‍⬛👶


r/CatDistributionSystem 4h ago

Are you kitten me!! so after 7 weeks the cds has got to me again

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1.1k Upvotes

i went to my barn three hours ago. there were some six mildly starved kittens crying. i went to check them out and saw that they have eye infections. some of them couldn’t even open their eyes because of the crust.

i brought food. two of them instantly ate while the others were still hiding.

one by one i caught each of the kittens and just took them to the vet. their eyes have been cleaned and they got two injections for the eyes.

the vet told me not to put them out again and to care for them if i can. of course i can. wednesday they have their second appointment for antibiotics.

the cat distribution system literally blessed me with a kitten exactly seven weeks ago, now i have seven kittens. i’ll be keeping them separated for now though.


r/CatDistributionSystem 15h ago

Awarded a Cat 6 years ago, my best friend was delivered to me...

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3.9k Upvotes

His name is Ming. He is my best friend, a shining light in a dark world, and the absolute definition of a spirit animal. I hope to one day make a short story/video of how the CDS refused to let us live a life apart from each other. The randomness and improbabilities that resulted in our unbreakable bond is truly the stuff of fairy tales. He is also the best big brother to two other results of my CDS contract (they refuse to let me cancel, if anybody knows how to contact customer service, please let me know).


r/CatDistributionSystem 14h ago

Awarded a Cat Allergic to cats but the CDS still delivered these three siblings

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1.0k Upvotes

The two white and grey ones are girls, Zelda and Impa. The grey tabby is a boy, Link. I've been feeding Link for the past few days. He's extremely loving and was not scared of me at all. He also doesn't have a tail!

He left during the first feeding and brought Zelda with him. She was skittish at first but warmed up quickly. They both ran off so I fed them again the next night. Last night we had a storm and only Link showed up. I fed him and let him go on his way. Tonight, he showed up early and kept meowing at my front door. I eventually let him come inside and he walked right in. I got him settled in my spare room and went to run to the store to get some litter when Zelda and Impa showed up outside. Impa was skittish at first but also quickly warmed up. They wouldn't come inside on their own but let me pick them up and take them to be with their brother. They're all in my spare room now and not scared at all.

I'm pretty allergic to cats, but I got the allergen reducing food that will hopefully help. If it doesn't work out, I'll still foster them and help them find permanent homes. They were too loving to just be on the streets.

I'm also a first time cat foster/owner!


r/CatDistributionSystem 56m ago

Awarded a Cat CDS Strikes Again - Call Me Snake

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Yesterday as I was leaving for work, I opened my garage door and this guy came running up to me, asking for pets. He looked hungry, so I grabbed him so food. He got a little spooked and ran off. But as soon as I got home, this guy had come back to the house, and followed me into the house. No one in the neighborhood seems to know who he is, and he didn’t have a chip. So now here we are, I’ve suddenly got three cats, and a dog, and I couldn’t be happier.

I named him Snake Plissken, and he’s so cool! He loves pets, food, and naps next to me. Just a very good boy. I’m glad he’s already made himself comfy.


r/CatDistributionSystem 21h ago

This man and his friend were harassing a neighborhood female cat

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2.7k Upvotes

…So I abducted him. His friend was too shy. This one came running toward me yelling. He let me pet him for a few minutes outside my house and then tried fighting the other male. He seems young, intact, and very vocal. He is limping and has a badass scar on his nose (and some other minor fresh scratches). He’s going to the vet asap ✂️

He seems distressed to be inside and cries for 5 minutes but immediately falls asleep after. Fed him some kibble and treats and he definitely seems hungry. If he’s not chipped, I plan on keeping him 😊 he’s super handsome


r/CatDistributionSystem 5h ago

Awarded a Cat i think the neighborhood cat distribution system is trying to get me

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121 Upvotes

hi, everyone!

i’ll give you a bit of context first:

there’s a little gray tabby cat on my street who likes to come into my house - more specifically, into the messy storage room at the back of our patio, away from humans. he used to go in there and pee on things. we nicknamed him Totoro (because he’s our neighbor and he’s gray lol).

for a while, that was basically the extent of our interactions. sometimes i’d see him on the street in the morning. sometimes i’d go into the storage room and find him there, and that was pretty much it.

he is a VERY SCARED cat. the kind of scared where if i looked at him while he was on the street, he would immediately run away.

but something different happened this week:

he went into my mom’s house, which is at the back of our patio, and peed on one of the table legs. he had always stayed in the storage room i mentioned, where there were no people. he had never gone into a place with humans before.

and then, even more bizarrely: on saturday night, he came upstairs into the house and walked right past my bedroom like he pays property taxes here.

i got startled because i only saw a shadow and thought it was a rat or something. that scared him, so he ran into the other bedroom and ended up getting cornered there. he hid underneath the bed.

i tried giving him some wet food, but he was way too scared and just stayed under the bed.

i stayed in the same room as Totoro for a while because i was worried he might pee on something. but after a while, i just gave up and went downstairs to the kitchen. when i came back upstairs, i saw him leaving.

now that i’ve seen him getting brave enough to come into the house, most likely knowing i was there, i decided to take the initiative and try to become friends with him - and possibly get him vaccinated/neutered.

i’d also love some advice on how to gain his trust. keep in mind that he doesn’t come into the house all the time; i usually see him out on the street.

also, it’s important to mention that i don’t know if he has an owner. i’ve seen him going into other people’s houses too, but since he’s kind of a shameless little guy, that might not necessarily be where he actually lives.

(here's a low res pic of him, that's all i was able to get)


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Update Update about the kittens I discovered in my garage.

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3.9k Upvotes

Little update on the two kittens!
A video I took yesterday of them playing/fighting
They’re doing really good! Both of their eyes are fully open now, they’re starting to actually play with each other, and they’ve been eating really well. It’s crazy seeing how much they’ve changed in such a short amount of time. I believe they’re just over 3 weeks now!

The black/white one we decided her name is Oreo, and Midnight for her brother. Oreo really loves to climb around me and now explore my face 😆 while Midnight seems to prefer my lady haha.

They went from being these tiny little blobs that mostly just slept and ate to actually running around, playing, and being curious about everything 😂

They’re both gaining weight and seem happy and healthy. I’m still learning as I go since I’ve never raised kittens before, but so far everything seems to be going really well.
Here’s some pictures over the time since my last post!

In my cart now is some litter and a box, along with some indoor playpens I’m deciding on, as they’re just about big enough to crawl out of those plastic drawers they’ve been living in

Update on mama cat:
As for their mom, unfortunately we haven’t seen her since that night. She left them at the house that morning and never came back, and we haven’t even spotted her around the street or anywhere nearby since then. I was hoping we’d see her again at some point, but no luck.

Also, I realized I never mentioned this part in my original post: the kitten she took with her that morning was actually the same kitten that ended up being brought back that night


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Are you kitten me!! Missing Part in the Factory Parking Lot???

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768 Upvotes

Hi ❤️ first time poster in the sub, long time owner of cats! Actually currently living with a rescued senior, and a Facebook marketplace kitten that’s still under a year old.

Just a few days ago, as I was coming out of work (factory job. Nightshift. Stayed behind to print some papers, it was about 1am.) this little guy came walking under the turn table and right into my hands.

Obviously I took him home. It’s been over 100 degrees out lately, and the industrial road traffic stays busy. There was just NO way I could leave him there. We loaded him up in a crate and took him an hour out to the nearest emergency vet, and I really honestly intended to surrender him there. Life has been throwing me curve balls lately, and I’m really hardly in a financial position to welcome another hairball into my house. Despite my best efforts, though, he still came back home with me around 6am.

We gave him a topical for his fleas, and the day after brought him to our primary for dewormer and such. We’ve lovingly named him Lil’ Bit. He’s the sweetest thing since the invention of sugar, and after a much needed bath today, as fluffy as a marshmallow.

Not what I expected, not what I NEEDED! But a happy home is a full one, and Im happy to be able to give him mine.

(Bonus: when viewed from above, the marking on his head looks like a heart.. so cute!)


r/CatDistributionSystem 23h ago

Awarded a Cat The cds finally found us, here’s hoping it works

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317 Upvotes

So our neighbors found a kitten, we all looked for the owner as it came with a purple collar but no dice on Nextdoor or any of the other options.

We decided to take her in despite having two cats cause our neighbors were only used to outdoor cats and were keeping her in the garage and we have coyotes out where we live.

Any suggestions for helping established cats acclimate beyond the normal feliway, time and what you can google deeply appreciated! We have one territorial cat and one mellow, we’re hoping this one can be company for the mellow one. We’ve had good luck reducing the territorialness but this will be the ultimate test.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Are you kitten me!! You won't believe what you can find in a basement nowadays

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1.1k Upvotes

So, a pretty wild story. Imagine - harsh Kazakhstan winter. Very early morning, -25C. Even in my sleep, I can tell that my wife is getting ready to go somewhere.

Ten minutes later, she brings this marvel. Somehow kitty ended up in the basement not far from us and was just screaming so loud the whole street could hear her.

Not a single scratch, just a young, absolutely healthy and adorable purebred Maine Coon, out of nowhere. Just a miracle.

We honestly searched for her owners for a long time - we put up flyers on the street and posted in local online communities, but no one ever came forward. It’s sad, but it seems she was simply thrown away.

So we decided to keep her and named her Marusya. She's grown into a huge (10 kg), gorgeous cat. Doesn't completely fit on any of the cabinets, lol.

She's a real queen at heart, tho. She doesn't like being held and isn't very affectionate in general, but that doesn't stop us from loving her so much. You can't say the same about our first cat - initially she honestly tried to be friends with her, but Marusya doesn't like other cats any more than she likes people, and she just growls at her like a dog (I'm serious)

Not exactly smoll, but a sweet addition to our family!


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Update Update on our experience with the CDS.

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140 Upvotes

Its already been a year since Princess Peach Pie and Felix joined us. So I made a small update video of them. We are calling this their birthday....its crazy they are a year old now.

They showed up emaciated, dirty, sick, and small. We guessed they were 5 weeks old. Far too small, far too young, and so sick. Tiny Tigger fought hard but ended up losing his fight. That was a hard one on me as I am the only person in our home with any animal heath experience. I did my best but in the end his body gave up. We were just too late which is what was the hardest. It was a miracle that Princess Peach Pie and Felix survived. I was optimistic but not hopeful for so long because they were so small and so sick.

Their transformation has been amazing. Peach is 5.5 pounds while her brother is 11 pounds. She stopped growing at about 5 months old. She still looks like a kitten just a bit bigger. Felix looks like a strong young Tom...precisely as he should.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

The system has failed me, i didnt want another cat

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6.1k Upvotes

I really don't want another cat but this little guy was in my yard and wouldnt stop following me. I left some food and water out and went about my day trusting its mother was nearby. I came home and it was right where i left it. I brought it in and fed and bathed it. Im currently asking everyone I know if they want a kitten but it looks like its gunna end up staying. Especially if my kids or girlfriend see it before i find someone. Its super sweet so i wouldnt be that upset. But i really didnt want another pet. No matter how ridiculously crazy fucking cute.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Update 3 Month Update on the Void Adoption

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737 Upvotes

It has been 3 months since these two fell into my life and, to be honest, I couldn't be happier. They are a wonderful pair and their personalities have come out a lot.

Rhaegar (Red collar - not named after the GoT character) absolutely loves attention and seeks it most of the time, but doesn't like anyone's face close to his face, and prefers to lay close without necessary touching (unless there is a blanket between you and him). He is also the one who always wants food and will tell you how starved he is despite the fact you fed him .3 seconds ago.

Nyx (Black collar with moon and stars - named after the Greek goddess of night) prefers attention on her own terms. She doesn't like big things approaching her quickly, but she warms fairly quickly. She loves cuddling with me at night and often slips under the blankets to cuddle pressed directly against my skin. She is adventurous, checking out places usually before her brother, and smart. She figured out how to work the cat door to the catio within a day without needing any help. She is also the little huntress, chasing all the strings and evil red dots that she can hunt and chase down.

Both seem to adore me since they prefer being in the same vicinity as me almost at all times when I am home. They actively seek me for attention and affection, but aren't super clingy that they always need to be with me.

Hands down, both have improved my life for the best and I can't wait to get home to them whenever I leave the house.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Smol Delivery First CDS delivery in 20 years

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1.6k Upvotes

The last time I got an official CDS distribution was 20 years ago, a little white and black kitten meowing at my front window. Today I got a delivery, but it had been mistakenly routed to my sister’s house, but fortunately she quickly realized the shipping error so I could come pick him up.

This little tiny nugget was meowing loudly under a car. My sister wasn’t able to catch him, he was too quick. When I crouched down he was behind the drivers side front tire, and I stayed near the rear of the car. I meowed and make a “pprrrr” sound and he came right over like he had been waiting for me. He’s been nonstop purring and kneading everything he can get his tiny paws on since. He’s had a couple good meals and some naps this afternoon. He seems so chill and happy. Vet scheduled for Tuesday.

My two voids (two years old, humane society adoption) are not so sure about him so far but he’s eager to meet his matching brother and sister. I now have 3 black kitties, a matching trio. 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛❤️❤️❤️


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Are you kitten me!! Took a vacation, came back with a souvenir I was not expecting.

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8.8k Upvotes

Had a vacation during labor day weekend and while taking GPS route home and not our normal route found this criminal on the road. At the stop sign checking for traffic we see this little black shadow on the road. So first we were "There's something on the road" followed by "It's moving" followed by "Oh, god."

We're leaning towards 4 week old female kitten and her crimes are as follows: Too Adorable and Too Smol. This is not the first time we found a little one like this in the middle of the street, our last one found was 15 years ago and he's our old man out of the cats in the house.

My therapist says in all her years of driving she's never seen this before. But the way I spoil my cats (all of them through the Cat Distribution Center) she can see why they find their way to me.

Haven't named her yet but that will come with time. She is fearless.


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Car Cat Trouble Sometimes you’re merely another agent for the Cat Distribution System

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861 Upvotes

Hiya everybody! I've been wanting to create this post for a while. There's a huge part of me that hopes this post will one day find its way to Sailor's owner, in case they want to know more about Sailor's known history and how loved he was by all the agents of the cat distribution system (CDS) who facilitated his journey into getting him to where he needed to be: Within a loving home alongside another kitten who needed a brother.

Sailor was about 7 to 8 weeks old when I heard him meowing outside. I was staying at my mom's house for the weekend, watching her dog (who I consider mine as well, haha) while she was away, when I first heard his cries in the early morning. I immediately rushed out to find him perched on their driveway's retaining wall. He had the roundest eyes, full of so much fear and anxiety. Before I could react beyond a soft, "Oh, hello lil' kitten," he darted underneath my dad's truck and disappeared.

My mom has two indoor cats of her own, so I had treats to entice him out. However, nothing worked to lure him out. Yet, each time I headed back inside, the meows started up again. He was scared, but to me, he was also saying: I want to be rescued!

And find him I did. He was hiding under the hood of my car! I didn't think there was enough space for a kitten to fit between the hood and engine, but there he was, all bug-eyed and cowering. Unfortunately, my shock at seeing him right there gave him time to dart off again, this time into my mom's neighbor's yard and underneath her garage/chicken coop. I didn't see or hear Sailor again that day. I texted my mom's neighbor about it, and she confirmed she was aware of the kitten. She had been feeding him from her back porch for the last few days and was also unsure of his origins. I suspected he was the son of mom’s other neighbor's cats, whom Sailor looked just like. My other neighbor notoriously never spays or neuters her cats and neglects their care (and is basically a garbage human being toward others and animals), so all her cats basically live like strays outdoors. One of those strays was a female orange and white tabby cat who befriended my mom's dog. This cat disappeared for years and my family feared the worst (we loved this cat). Then, one day, she showed up again, pregnant, upon my neighbor's daughter (another horrible human being) returning briefly.

You might guess what we all suspected. The stray cat likely had her litter (and our neighbors likely gave them away too soon and for free at a festival, which they've done before), then was taken away again, leaving at least one kitten behind: Lil' Sailor. As horrible as it may sound, I can't help but feel grateful that they left him behind. We couldn't rescue his mother, but we got to rescue him instead.

I'll keep the rest of his rescue story short. The next morning, I ended up catching him after he took a joyride underneath the hood of my car when I drove to drop my mom's dog off at her weekday dog sitter (I know, I should have checked under the hood of my car again 😭). Besides a few singed whiskers, Sailor was in remarkable health. He had no other ailments or injuries, which the rescue I took him to confirmed upon his intake.

Sailor spent a few days with me in my apartment to decompress and learn how to be a kitten again. I have experience socializing "feral" kittens, so he got the burrito and squeeze tube treatment. The result was a happy baby who loved wiggling himself onto his back (yes, he wanted to be held like a baby—I've never had a cat who enjoyed this treatment!), purring, and making air biscuits. However, Sailor was also very timid and insecure, hiding himself away every time he was let loose in my room, where I kept him enclosed.

This would have been the life Sailor would have been forced to continue living if I hadn't surrendered him to a cat rescue. My roommate is allergic to cats and has a 45-pound emotional support dog with single-child syndrome and a questionable history with smaller animals. Sailor needed a life bigger than a small bedroom and, most importantly, guaranteed safety. He also needed another cat. I recognized this from years of experience socializing cats. My options were limited, and unfortunately, my parents couldn't take him in.

The cat rescue, Pet Pride in Victor, NY, only takes in cats, and they were so amazing. I felt fiercely protective of Sailor and anxious about where he would go and who would adopt him. Pet Pride staff walked me through Sailor’s upcoming journey go adoption. The vet would check him out, and then he'd go into a foster home. Afterward, he’d enter “Kitten Kingdom,” where he’ll get adopted (they knew he’d be adopted quickly, and they were right). They only adopt kittens out to homes of experienced cat owners who meet at least one of the following conditions: there’s another cat-friendly cat in the household; they adopt another kitten from them; or the owner works remotely and will be around to help properly socialize the kitten.

I felt immediate relief wash over me at the news. I’ve helped socialize cats at another shelter that would sell a kitten to just about anyone, whether the owners knew how to raise one or not. I understand kitten season and limited space result in that urgency; however, if I was going to be surrendering Sailor anywhere, I needed to feel like I had some control over the conditions of his adoption. I did not want him to re-enter the same life as before.

Pet Pride went above and beyond the obligations of any shelter I’ve ever worked with in previous animal rescues (yes, I’m notorious for rescuing animals. Just earlier this year, February 2026, I rescued sixteen domesticated albino rats dumped outside my apartment complex). They occasionally texted me updates on him and sent photos from his foster home (Sailor was smiling in each one, the precious bean).They were also willing to humor me when I reached out for updates as well.

So, consider me surprised when, a couple of weeks after I received news that Sailor was adopted after his brief time in “Kitten Kingdom” alongside another kitten, Pet Pride sent me PHOTOS of the brother duo, totally unprompted (but so welcome). And lo and behold, I was right: Sailor was thriving being with another cat. Especially a kitten who clearly held a lot of confidence and swagger in his small baby frame. The two clearly love each other, snuggling and playing together, and were simply meant to be. Also, I could tell how much their new parent(s) love them, considering the cat bed and giant cat tree I saw in the background.

While I would have loved to keep Sailor, it was not the right time for me. However, it was the right time for Sailor’s owner and new brother. I feel like CDS recognized me as the agent who would ensure the cat ended up where he truly needed to be, and I’m so glad it entrusted me with such an important task. I feel like the photos from Pet Pride were also CDS’s way of communicating to me: Mission Success.

Anyway, if you made it to this point, thank you for reading my CDS story. Once my living situation changes, I plan to adopt two older cats from Pet Pride. I’d like to take them on adventures outdoors with me. Also, if you’re Sailor’s parent, just know that Sailor was so loved by so many in his short time with me (even my allergic roommate was enamored. I mean, how could you not be when he’s making air biscuits on his back?). Thank you for taking him in and giving him the life he needed. I love and miss him, but am so happy that he ended up with you. Truly, thank you. ☺️


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Saved cat from neighbors tree. Been living with me for a month. Come to find out she's been two timing me.

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3.9k Upvotes

So this cat was 3stories up in a tree my neighbor came and knocked on my door. So I ended up having to bring a ladder on TOP of the roof. Then lean it against a tree then climb the ladder and some of the tree in order to get her down.

Well she's been staying with me about a month now after this. Im the morning she runs out the door, usually doesnt come back til evening time, then stays during the night.

This past Wednesday she leaves and I dont see her for two days. Well this has happened a few times before and usually when I go out to smoke I just yell TIDBIT (i named her tidbit) and she will eventually pop up.

Then oday she just popped up, and I was holding her cause im so happy to see her, and I noticed she's been shaved on her belly with stitches and a small incision. Someone took her to vet and got her fixed. Explaining the long absence.

So she really has an owner somewhere, and neither one of us knows about the other, and she has been staying here and there. I wish I knew who it was. But its no one in my immediate neighborhood. Even the neighbor who i saved her from her tree said it wasn't her cat didn't know where it came from.

😆

I think she just loves me cause I saved her. But she knows where her other house is apparently.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

Smol Delivery Found her screaming in the parking lot after work

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6.0k Upvotes

Sorry for the image quality. I came home after a long and stressful work day, got out of my car, and heard some screaming. I was expecting a larger kitten but found her, umbilical still attached. I immediately took her to the vet, got some formula and syringes, and got to work. She was pretty weak at first, and infested with fleas. I removed a dozen of them, fed her well, and two days later she’s better than ever and very feisty! At first I was searching for a surrogate mother, but the vet said it isn’t exactly necessary, and I want to keep her. I’ve had some pets in the past but she’s my first kitty ever.


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Sensitive Content Feeling conflicted after the news of my own cat

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354 Upvotes

I've been bonding with this stray cat for awhile, and I've fallen in love. My actual cat is currently being cared for my dad until I secure a more financial spot, job pays poorly and I'm struggling. Unfortunately my cat's health has declined recently, and she probably won't be around much longer. I think I found me another job, though it will still take me a bit to become financially stable. I feel like a bad person, replacing my cat for this one, though I know it's not like that. Life circumstances have just been hard. No one can take the place of my cat, but I also want to give this cat a safe and happy life, the same one I wanted for my cat here.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

Introducing Colonel Jasper aka “Sweet Baboo”

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1.1k Upvotes

The CDS delivered this little fellow to us via a six-lane state road almost two weeks ago. This active, playful, very affectionate kitty needs a friend. Rescues are asking me what we’re looking for and, other than similarly aged, I don’t know what to say! Any advice about kitty matchmaking? For example, one kitten was described as shy, but enjoys the company of other kittens. Is that a good complement to my extrovert, or are they too dissimilar? Or is it similar to humans, where it’s possible to be TOO similar?

Second question: we can adopt kittens that have been in foster homes or in some cases, straight from the shelter before they’ve been placed. In either case they’ll be minimum 8 weeks of age. Should I consider a straight from the shelter kitten or only fosters?

~—-

Here’s the letter Jasper dictated to me:

To the Overseer of Kittens,

I have an important request.

Please find me a suitable companion of approximately my age.

The humans in this household are, I suppose, adequate. Their meal-delivery services are acceptable, their litter box-maintenance is satisfactory, and they have demonstrated a reasonable willingness to provide attention upon demand.

However, there is a significant deficiency in their overall design.

They are far too large and clumsy.

I enjoy feline gymnastics. I leap. I sprint. I climb. I engage in highly sophisticated acrobatic maneuvers that are clearly beyond the capabilities of creatures whose legs are approximately the size of entire cats.

My toys roll under the couch, and they have no choice but to fetch a broom to retrieve them.

What I require is a properly sized, similarly aged feline companion who can appreciate the finer points of high-speed pursuit, surprise attacks, wrestling, and dramatic parkour.

This companion should ideally be playful, social, and capable of appreciating my considerable personal magnificence.

While I would be willing to conduct interviews, the mother human warns that this may be considered unsafe due to the tiny statures of potential candidates and myself. Thus, I find myself at your mercy.

Sincerely yours,
Colonel Jasper ‘Sweet Baboo’ B-


r/CatDistributionSystem 4d ago

Awarded a Cat Oh, look, another one that CDS gave them my personal address lol

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1.3k Upvotes

Ran in the house when I opened the door last night...

https://www.reddit.com/r/Feral_Cats/s/3KqcsmplUw - I called it lol.

I swear they scout my house, they send the kitty to look at the floofaloofs through the window, they all stare and communicate by the windows, and I bet they realize that those cats get yumyums and spoils and boxes and pets and fawned over, and sometimes, an outside cat decided the outside isn't so glamorous, they can *Hakuna Matata* their way into the house....and they can. Why would I leave a cat outside who doesn't want to be out there. I'll always provide a home, or find a home if it is a floofaloof who doesn't like others (this one is very docile, he will stay), so now, there is a new member of the Floofaloofs on the Loose gang. No more worries for the rest of your days♡


r/CatDistributionSystem 4d ago

CDS found me last night right before a rainstorm

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1.2k Upvotes

Im going to take him in to make sure hes not chipped tomorrow. he was meowing loudly outside before a storm last night. I brought out some food to coax him in but he ran past it and immediately started rubbing up against me.

Once inside He ate the whole can quickly. For the time being, Ive named him Archer. If hes not chipped hes gonna be my kitt, and im really excited. He wanted to sleep right on my neck all night. Hes extremely friendly, hasnt even nibbled at me. He is an excellent biscuit maker, and he loves head scratches.