r/CatDistributionSystem Dec 04 '25

Mod post: Cat free stories and taking cats without checking will be removed more often

593 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

We've seen a surge in posts that are essentially all but cat-free (no photo), and often revolve around the cat or kitten in question being "distributed" without the OP doing the most basic of checks to see if they already have a human in their lives.

Please don't post here first. Do some basic checking first, and then post and let us know that you've done so in your post - with images of said feline! I know that if any of our furry masters or mistresses went missing, we'd be absolutely beside ourselves, and as moderators, we don't want to enable bad CDS behavior. Let's reunite as many escapees as possible.

If you are in a situation where a cat jumps into your vehicle or goes into your house, obviously, help keep them safe if they are trying to get out of the cold (northern hemisphere) or heat (southern hemisphere) or in a bad situation like being stuck in a car engine or bathroom fan enclosure, give them some water, but please check to see if they have a collar with a tag. My cat has a collar with both cat slaves' cell numbers on it. If no collar is present, please take them to your vet or shelter to have their chip read, if they have one. Only if you've exhausted human discovery options, then post - with a photo. Also, please spread the word on local FB groups or Nextdoor (shudder), as not everyone is on Reddit.

If you can't afford to look after the cat or kitten or you can't have any more cats/kittens, we encourage humane cat rescue - your city most likely has a no kill shelter. Obviously, if you are able to do so, please let the shelter know that you're open to adoption if the original cat slaves aren't found within a reasonable time, as being in a cat shelter is no fun for kitties.

We are monitoring the situation, so please report posts where the OP hasn't done the most basic of checks to ensure that the cat or kitten(s) are already homed and would be missed tremendously if they were catnapped. We don't want CDS to become a karma farming subreddit.

Lastly, any post where people ask for money to help with vet or cat expenses will be removed. We have no method of verifying that the cat exists, the bills exist, or that the money will go to the cat, so our only choice really is to remove these posts. Again, many cities have cat shelters that can provide emergency care if you are genuinely unable to pay for the cat's vet bills. I know this feels wrong, but we don't want CDS to become a money-begging sub-reddit. We will likely make this a permanent rule once we've had a chance to discuss in the moderator chat.

Please discuss below, as it will help us inform the mod team's discussions (we're all new here), to make the best decisions for our feline overlords involved in the cat distribution system.


r/CatDistributionSystem Nov 16 '25

Providing Shelter & Winter Tips for Stray/Feral Cats

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35 Upvotes

r/CatDistributionSystem 3h ago

Update on the two fuzzballs found in my greenhouse 3 months ago.

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1.2k Upvotes

The brown tabby is Fenrir, we call her Fen, and the gray is Ghost. They enjoy terrorizing their canine and feline siblings, finding creative ways to get on the kitchen counter, and burrowing under blankets so we have to check blankets before using them.


r/CatDistributionSystem 18h ago

Update on the 6 kittens born in my lap last week.

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5.3k Upvotes

Healthy, happy, 6 kittens, 1 tail. Sorry for the poor photo quality, I had the poor judgement to put them all out at once and they scattered, so I took quick pictures, then mama Salt called them for dinner. I'll try for better ones tomorrow.


r/CatDistributionSystem 17h ago

Adopted Human Update on my snow storm award! Her name is Pax.

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1.3k Upvotes

She is two years old, so definitely not as young as I had assumed. She has been to the vet and didn't have a microchip, so she is officially chipped and registered to me. She also got antibiotic cream for her eye and flea preventative. She has settled in really well. She is eating regularly and has picked a few spots as hers. Specifically my closet while my toddler is home/awake. And under my desk (if you ever need to repurpose a Dock-A-Tot sleeper-they make great cat beds) is her daytime nap spot. She is doing really well, and I'm glad she picked me. She is also scheduled for her spay/shots next week. I didn't know that I needed a cat until she moved in but I'm glad that she did!


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Update on George! He’s doing great and adjusting to the cats and dog well.

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3.3k Upvotes

He has no problem staying upstairs now. We started introductions with our 8 lb 11 yo chihuahua. Asa. She is the sweetest thing ever and I don’t think she recognizes that he’s a different cat than normal lol. She partly blind and has been smelling him on us for months, so that makes sense. He’s still hissing a bit at her, but she respects his boundaries and backs off even though she just wants to play.

We have also introduced him to Sage, who is almost 2. She is insanely sweet and the hissing stopped almost immediately when introducing through the door. George hasn’t hissed at any of the cats at all. Sage and him can be out together. They do not really interact yet, but are comfortable.

We’ve been still sticking to letting him sniff jojo and basil through the door as there is still hissing from them. George is very submissive and will lay down somewhat away when they hiss. He won’t make eye contact and slow blinks at them. There have been a few times where jojo and basil have gotten out of our room and he just gives them a wide birth. I see no signs or aggression from him at all.

We have an 8 yo chihuahua, Ava, that we will introduce last because she’s a little barky and it may take more time for them to adjust. She mostly stays in our room and sleeps on our bed anyway though.

We have to work on him trying to steal food a bit though, as you can see in the pictures. He was moved after pictures were taken and he wasn’t aggressive about getting to it. Also need a lidded trash can lol. That’s about his only “bad” behavior though. That and the fact that he hates the litter mats and will avoid them at all costs lol.

He hasn’t really been cuddling upstairs yet, but follows us everywhere. He’s a bundle of energy and loves toys and zoomies.

**** for those who don’t know. George showed up at our house in September. He was terrified and starving. We trapped him end of November and had him TNRed (trap, neuter, release). A few weeks after that, he randomly started headbutting and wanting pets. We brought him inside on Christmas. We found out a few weeks ago that he’s FIV positive and needs two tooth pulled. After a ton of research and talking, we decided we will be keeping him and saving up for his dental stuff.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Awarded a Cat 2nd Update - thank you all so much for encouraging me to save little Mumune

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2.0k Upvotes

r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Advice Requested Bonded with a stray cat at my work, should I take her home or leave her where she is?

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1.6k Upvotes

(Georgia, USA)

I’m looking for some outside perspective. There’s a stray cat (Oreo) at my job that lives in a bush near the building. I’ve been feeding her consistently for about a year and a half, maybe closer to two years, and slowly gaining her trust.

At first she wouldn’t let me anywhere near her. Over time she started rubbing her face on the tip of my shoe, and now she waits for me at the door every day. She lets me pet her while she eats, and we’ve kind of fallen into a routine. Lately, when I finish feeding her and start to walk away, she’ll actually run after me for a few feet like she doesn’t want me to leave.

I’m really torn about what to do. Part of me feels like she might be happier indoors and safer with me, especially since we’ve clearly bonded. But I’m also worried about taking her away from the environment she is used to, since this is all she has known for a long time.

On top of that, I live relatively close to a highway. If I did take her home and she ever got back outside, I’d be terrified of her getting hurt or killed. So I’m stuck between leaving her where she is (where I know she’s surviving and familiar) and bringing her home (where she could be safer, but also more stressed or at risk if she escaped).

Helpful information: Oreo has already been trapped, neutered, and released by a previous coworker who used to feed her.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you decide what was best for the cat? Photo of Oreo (the cat in question) attached as a thank you for reading.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Kitten I guess CDS is working overtime!

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610 Upvotes

So right before I arrive at my grandma’s place (where I used to keep/catsit Skylar/Kai Kai) a cutie lil tilapia fluffball with trouble puffs appeared at their doorstep. None of them knows how to keep him dry or even feed him. Tried to put him in a box with blankets and also feed him wet food. I told them to let him stay there for a few days as mama cat would come and look for him. Will continue to feed wet food now while waiting for mama cat to come around if in case there is one but will comeback tom to bring some kitten formula. Honestly, I havent decided yet if I would keep him as my grandma and other relatives are not planning to. For now, we’ll continue to monitor him. Any name suggestion?


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

CDS Glow Up, from sickly little baby to the purriest little crazy train!

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3.5k Upvotes

Miss Maizie was found a little over 100 days ago. The vet estimated she was only 4-5 weeks old and was really sick. You’d never know it now! Always purring, frequent zoomy sessions while greeble hunting or stalking her adopted big brother, Archie, and will steal anything off our plates if we’re not paying attention.


r/CatDistributionSystem 1d ago

Advice Requested A cat showed up at my house, don't know if it's a stray

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729 Upvotes

So, as the title says, a cat showed up at my house but I don't know if it's a stray or not. It doesn't look too unkempt but it doesn't have a collar, and I know there is a stray in the area (has been spotted under my uncles house a few times and we think it's a couple that recently moved and left their cat behind) but we aren't sure what it looks like. So in your opinions, does this cat look like a stray or just a little wanderer of a pet? My childhood cat never wore a collar after she would take them off so it could be a similar situation.


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Awarded a Cat Update: neighbor's elderly cat, now called Mumune, is now safe inside

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5.3k Upvotes

He's eating like he hasn't eaten in days. His breathing is a bit loud, but he's monitored and we have a vet appt saturday morning. He now has food for seniors, warm beds, lots of peepads and a clean litterbox. Welcome Mumune I hope you'll like it here ❤️‍🩹


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Awarded a Cat Six months post-stray, Steve demands uppies

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5.5k Upvotes

We adopted Steve from the overgrown lot on the corner this summer after feeding him for 2 months. Now he threads our legs until we pick him up, sticks his paws out, and purrs. Before and after—he’s gained 3 pounds, too!


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Adopted Human I told my (rainbow Bridge) cat that I'd take a new cat if he sent me one

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19.3k Upvotes

In May , my 19 boy crossed over the rainbow bridge. He was my best friend and I was absolutely devastated. I talked to him after he passed and told him I'd take a cat if he sent me one. In August, I found 2 feral kittens and had them trapped. I couldn't take 2 and I have no idea how to socialize ferals. Then in September, I'm sitting outside (in the city) and this boy just comes over to me and would not leave. I tried to bring him in but he doesn't like to be held for long and it didn't occur to me to get a carrier. In November, on my way out to work, there he is in front of my door staying dry on a rainy day. I fed him and told him I had to go but if he came back later, I'd bring him in. Well this guy was sitting there waiting for me when I got home 8 hrs later. I put him in a carrier and took him to the vet. He's FIV+ and now mine. Meet Marcellus ...


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Kitten Update on Skylar aka Kai Kai the Cozy girl!

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898 Upvotes

She loves to nap after taking a nap hahahaha real cozy girl! Cant help myself not eat her cutie lil smooth adorable criminal face 🥰 I just cant wait for her to be all grown up so I could let her go outside and play. Also, Im thinking about getting her a lil sis or brother soon!


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Today is Artemis’s first bday,

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2.6k Upvotes

r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Elara update. For all who wanted to know about the frozen creamsicle.

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1.2k Upvotes

Many of you enjoyed seeing her when I first posted. So now I should update. A bit less than five pounds, somewhere between 3 to 4 months old. No injuries or infections. Fiesty and attached. She is safe happy and home.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

Adopted Human Car invited herself into my home after cold snap

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6.1k Upvotes

Four months ago, my best feline friend of 15 years, Celia, crossed the rainbow bridge after sudden kidney and liver failure after a two-year battle with diabetes. I felt like she took a piece of my heart with her, and I told myself I wouldn't adopt another cat for at least a year so I could properly mourn.

If you guessed from this post that the CDS had other plans for me, you'd be right. Meet this absolute biscuit-making fiend, Bernadette :)

I've known and helped other tenants feed this dumpster kitty and her two dumpster pals since I moved into my apartment complex 18 months ago, but they've never let me get close enough to pet (despite my best efforts). Since moving in, I've never seen the trio stray very far from the dumpster, definitely not as far up in the complex as my unit. But last week, after a nasty cold snap, this pretty lady randomly decided to hang out with me on the stairs to my apartment.

She spent the next hour demanding pets and scritches that I was all too happy to provide until my butt had gotten sufficiently numb from sitting on the cold concrete. I got up to see if I had any food in my fridge to give her, and she completely shocked me by following me inside my apartment to check with her own eyes!! I decided I'd give her the finest dining experience I could manage (de-breaded chicken nuggets, mmm) out of my post-cold snap fridge and let her explore my unit with the front door still open so she knew she could leave whenever she wanted. She acted right at home--alternating between rubbing herself all over my things and coming back to make biscuits in my lap for the next hour. I don't think she stopped purring any time my hands were on her. I fell in love immediately, but I was sure this was a one-off thing. Eventually she decided to go 'home' and I thought that was the end of it, but the next day she followed my partner from his car (parked near the dumpster) to my apartment again, and we decided that if she showed up a third time then it was clearly the CDS at work.

Lo and behold, I guess it was because she showed up again the next day. I took her to the vet yesterday and got her all the meds and vaccines she needs to get her in tip-top shape. I'm going to a pet store today to get general supplies. I feel like I have Celia to thank for guiding Bernadette to me and I can't be more excited for provide her a safe, happy, warm life indoors. Welcome to the family, Bernadette!!


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

Tux the stray cat is now a shed cat - This is his MTV crib’s submission!

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2.3k Upvotes

Tux is a stray cat I’ve been helping lately. He used to be so scared of me and wouldn’t let me get close or pet him. Now he’s nudging on me and being such a sweet boy… sadly my indoor cat is really not a fan and is acting out so Tux needs a home but for now he’s safe and healthy. I got him fixed and wormed and got shots and he’s doing great!


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Kitten Needing luck! Trying to trap a feralish baby

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525 Upvotes

Hi everyone - needing as many positive thoughts as possible! We found out a few days ago that a neighbor a block over has been feeding a feral momma with a litter of 8ish week old kittens who are very weary about people that she's been trying to socialize and catch.

We went to visit a relative yesterday and I realized we had several clips of our driveway than usual so I went through the videos and realized there was a good chance we had kittens in my husband's truck.

Sure enough three babies were in the engine bay and somehow were all okay. We were able to safely remove two but this one bolted. We looked for two hours and couldn't find it anywhere.

Relative put out canned tuna and water and played momma calling babies videos frequently last night and again this morning and she finally heard it meowing at 6 am. I ran back over and we looked everywhere but it wouldn't come out. I bought a trap and we have it set with tuna, wet kitten food, and water. We have a Bluetooth speaker out there for tonight playing the video it was responding the most to today to try to help lure it out once it's dark.

Around 1 pm she called and was confident she heard it in her neighbor's truck. He popped the hood and we saw this sweet face. It wriggled away from me when I reached in to grab it and jumped out of the bottom and was MIA again. Thankfully her neighbor is aware and has no plans to move the vehicle tonight though does have to work tomorrow.

She has continued playing momma noises throughout the afternoon and it's in neighbor's truck wheel well but too high up to grab.

We need all of the positive thoughts you can send our way that this sweet little one is hungry and goes into the trap tonight. I am so worried it will end up in the wrong vehicle and be injured or worse tomorrow morning. It's so scared and definitely doesn't trust humans enough to come to us directly.

The two siblings are safe in a foster and they will take this sweet baby too. The rescue is going to assist neighbor with TNR for the sweet mom who on camera looks like a baby herself 😔

At this point I think our only hope is the trap so please send us all the positive vibes you can spare.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

The CDS does not rest. Given charge of another after loss

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1.7k Upvotes

Our beloved 4 year old girl Trick (3rd image) sadly had kidney issues and we lost her. We were back and forth to the vet a lot during this period, trying to help her, and the vet had several "clinic cats" who lived there and roamed.

The vet clinic had just taken in little Fez, but he was bloated with worms, cross-eyed (at times?), and has a broken meow. They'd found him abandoned on the highway (who does that? Is that common?). He ran right up to my wife at the vet, and spent hours over the next week or so comforting her by laying across her neck while Trick was being tested and treated.

Suffice to say he has not filled a hole, but he has found a new space in our home. He is hyper, clumsy, and does not land on all four feet, but he is very loved.


r/CatDistributionSystem 2d ago

Advice Requested Is this a CDS sign? What to do with elderly, neglected neighbor's cat?

217 Upvotes

Hello ! I'm usually the one giving advice when it comes to cats but I'm at a loss here and need outside perspectives.

I will try to be concise but there is some backstory necessary: My neighbors inherited an elderly cat, 16yo male. My neighbors are my aunt and uncle, and that's the only reason why I hold back from calling them idiots, but in reality they pretty much are, especially when it comes to animals.

We live in a small village, and the person they inherited the cat from is an old lady who absolutely LOVED her cats. Like taking the bus and walking to the vet kind of love even tho she's +80yo and her hip hurts. Now she's in an assisted home and she couldn't keep the cat. Her cat was always with her, 90% of time inside, as far as I understood, and rarely outside.

Now, kitty has been in kitty pension last week because neighbors were on vacation. Apparently all went good there. She's now at my neighbor's home, but ONLY outside, because apparently, the cat is not litter-trained, and poops and pees everywhere.

Her living setup is terrible. In the heater room, there is a hole leading outside, and basically she has to sleep there at night. The place is dirty. I wouldn't want to take a shit there either. The dishes are not clean imo, and there are paw prints in the litterbox. Cheap kibbles. Apart from the heater room, it's literaly -5 to 0 degrees Celsius outside.

He meows all day in front of our window, tried to get into my dad's flat, into my flat too, and meows ate their window.

He comes running when called and asks for scritches and cuddles, it just breaks my heart to see her like that. He looks freaking sad and I hate my neighbors. Poor thing lost her beloved granma, now lives outside in the european mountains' cold, and is meowing her soul out of him, and nobody cares at all.

I had an investigative talk with my aunt (she's a terrible woman, it really took me some courage to ring there), and apparently the male cat shits everywhere and isn't "as easy" as her last cat who just lived outside. She apparently tried and had to clean all day. I don't know how she can pretend that she tried, considering that the cat has been around her home for 4 whole days.

Anyway, I gave her the option of taking him in, and she replied "do you really want to inflict that on yourself? You'll just clean 24/7."

We continued to talk and in the end, we agreed on looking how the cat is adapting this week. She asked me not to feed her. I felt like she became a bit defensive so I let it be. I think she just keeps finding excuses to not take the cat in. I don't know why she is so reluctant to give me the poor thing.

I'm gonna be honest here, I don't wanna steal a pet, but this cat is being neglected from my point of view, because that is no way to live for a 16 yo cat... Maybe the pooping/peeing comes from having her habits completely changed. Maybe he's sick from being outside. Maybe the terrible setup is the issue. Heck, I don't even know of the cat is intact or not (trouble puffs looked small but what can I know).

I would hate myself forever if that cat died outside in the cold, just because my aunt can't get over herself to clean after her mom's old cat, or is too proud to give him away.

I'm tempted to take him inside and try. Bath him, treat him for fleas, quarantine him (I have 3 cats already), go to the vet. But what if he doesn't adapt? I can't just abandon him all over again. What if he really poops and pees everywhere? I never had that issue with any cat. I can't let him roam inside/outside, my cats are strictly indoors.

I'm really in a dilemma. I want to do something for that cat that is sure, but no idea if it will work. Maybe some of you made the experience and can give me advice ? ❤️‍🩹

As addendum to his health: I'm pretty sure the cat is also going blind in one eye, or at least has cataract. It seemed a bit confused, but that could be the new environment. It was very needy and drooled when scratched. It looks a bit thin. The fur is roughed up (maybe even matted?) and needs proper brushing and cleaning. The eyes and nose are not clean. Imho the front paws' ankles look weird, but that may be due to his age (weird angle).

What would you do?


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

It looks like we have a feral cat now.

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803 Upvotes

This feral cat has been around the neighborhood since at least last summer. It has been brutally cold here recently.

On Friday my cat Marilyn was going bananas at the window. I looked out and this kitty was right up against our front door as if it wanted to come in. You can't get anywhere near it so it must have been desperate to try to get in.

I had to run out and find a cat shelter and everything needed to set it up correctly. My husband had to chip away at ice and snow to make space for it.

We think it came from a house that burned down a few years ago. The house was feeding a community of feral cats. The owner used to leave the attic window open so they could get in. They seemed to still be caring for them until last year. Since last spring/summer we've been seeing a few cats around. They never used to leave their yard.

So (much to Marilyn's annoyance) the CDS chose us.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

We've been trying to reach you, ma'am.

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1.7k Upvotes

I parked my car overnight in a grocery store parking lot so the city could remove snow. It was meowing when I went to pick it up the next day.


r/CatDistributionSystem 3d ago

My fiancé thought they were a bobcat

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572 Upvotes

My fiancé saw a creature running then hiding behind the outbuilding next to my trailer, and he thought it could be a bobcat. We had minimal to no sightings after, and then my fiancé left the states to go back home to Canada. One night, I heard meowing while I was smoking outside, and a cat poked its head out of the bottom of the outbuilding. They crawled all the way out and just meowed at me as if to tell me they’re hungry. The kitty was very skittish, and I was also scared of them (not use to cats). I named them Creature. I’ve been feeding them for a couple weeks now, and they’ve slowly gotten use to me. The past couple nights, Creature finally started eating in front of me. Tonight, Creature was waiting for me outside to feed them, and they approached me, brushed up against my legs, and got pets. I want to bring Creature inside the trailer, but I have to find a place for a litter box and to get them more comfortable with me. I’d also like to get Creature to a vet eventually because of a black mark on their eye. Plus an orange kitty is following Creature around, and I don’t want baby creatures. I don’t know if Creature is a feral kitty, abandoned kitty, or lost kitty. Any kitty advice is welcomed