Woman starts feeding stray cat in backyard – two years later, it’s her home

The heartwarming story about a stray cat’s journey to becoming a pet has gone viral on TikTok.

With more than 355,000 views since April 27, the slideshow of images illustrates how a black cat, now called Seb, was taken in by 28-year-old Jess Cavendish. Each image has text explaining a timeline of what happened, but despite Cavendish’s best efforts, Seb was reluctant to be disturbed. It took a whole year for the feline to feel safe in its new home.

Cavendish said News week: “At one point, I wasn’t sure if I would ever be able to pet her.”

The 12-year-old cat made her first appearance in May 2022, when she was seen sleeping in the grass near Cavendish’s home in Liverpool, England. At first, she assumed the cat was someone’s pet, but as the days went by it became clear that she lived on the streets.

“I noticed her there several times until one night I decided to go out and give her some cat cookies in my pajamas and robe!

“She was starving and when she ate she ate so quickly it was like she was choking a little,” Cavendish said. News week.

In the comments section, Cavendish wrote, “I think someone abandoned her because she’s too friendly to have been wild all her life.”

The worried woman shared photos of Seb on social media in a desperate attempt to find out if she had an owner. But no one recognized her, so Cavendish continued to feed her for three months. Then, in August 2022, the black cat entered Cavendish’s garden.

Text over a photo of Seb lying in the grass reads: “She was very nervous and did not like being approached.”

Cavendish and his family built an outdoor house for Seb using the wood from the fence; It had a waterproof roof, heated pad and carpet.

“She loved the house,” Cavendish said. “But I decided to let her into my kitchen when winter arrived as it was very cold.

“I used to feed her bits of food, and she would gently eat them out of my hand so I could pet her while she ate or got a treat.”

Cavendish added that gaining Seb’s trust was no easy task, taking a year to achieve. It was only last winter that she finally felt settled.

In March 2024, she was finally able to get Seb into a cat carrier so she could visit the vet to get vaccinated. The feline was also registered in Cavendish’s name, making her the official owner.

Cavendish said: “I didn’t think I would end up with another cat as I already have two domestic cats who are little princesses.

“But I would never give up Seb or my other two cats, Lilo and Loki,” Cavendish added.

An excerpt from the slideshow caption reads: “I wasn’t going to see a cat suffer, so over two years I gained confidence.

Cavendish also refers to this as a long process, but highlights how it was worth it, as Seb is now “the friendliest, most beautiful, happiest cat.”

So far, the clip has accumulated more than 32,000 likes and more than 1,280 comments.

One user commented: “You have a good heart for not giving up on her.”

“You are a lucky person. Black cats are one of the most intelligent and affectionate. Thank you for taking her in. I took in one that is almost 19 years old,” posted another.

A third commenter wrote: “OMG [Oh my god] it made me cry, thank you for saving her and showing that humans can be kind. My two delinquents from Mumbai. Send head bangs.”

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