Isabel wasn’t expecting anything unusual as she and her two sons set off for their usual afternoon walk. It was a cherished ritual for the trio, a time to explore, talk, and soak in the charm of their Connecticut neighborhood.
That day, their plan was simple: make it to the hilltop, enjoy the view, and call it a day. But fate had other plans for them.
As they were walking, out of nowhere, the family heard a faint, squeaky sound that stopped them right in their tracks.
They looked at each other, unsure if they had actually heard what they thought they did. It sounded like a cat meowing, but the weird part was that it seemed to be coming from below them, as Isabel shared in an interview:
“We heard these little squeaky meows, but we couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. They sounded like they were coming from underground.”
Curious and a little concerned, they started looking around, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from. That’s when they noticed an open drainage pipe under the road.
Peering into the dark opening, they were surprised to see a pair of bright eyes staring back at them. There, crouched in the pipe, was a beautiful calico cat. She looked unsure but not scared, almost like she was waiting for someone.
Isabel and her boys were instantly drawn to the mysterious kitty. They knew every pet in the neighborhood, and this one wasn’t familiar.
The cat’s friendly demeanor only made her more endearing, as Isabel shared:
“We stopped and sat on the side of the road to see if she’d come out, and she did! She even let us pet her a few times.”
After soaking up some affection from her new friends, the cat quickly retreated back into the pipe, leaving the family puzzled: who was this cat? Why was she hiding there?
Isabel started asking around the neighborhood, hoping someone might recognize her. But no one did. She just couldn’t understand why the cat was hiding there, sharing:
“Because of how friendly she was, we knew right away that she wasn’t feral. But the odd part was that she wouldn’t leave the little area near the drain. We thought she was a lost pet, so we asked around the neighborhood, and no one was missing her.”
From that day on, visiting the cat became part of their routine. Every day they brought her food and left little treats to make sure she didn’t go hungry. Even a few neighbors pitched in, saying they’d seen the cat around for at least a week.
As the days grew colder, Isabel’s heart ached for the little calico. She couldn’t stand the idea of her spending cold nights out there alone, as she shared:
“I just couldn’t leave her there. She was so sweet and came out to get pets every time we walked by.”
Desperate to find a solution, she called shelters and rescue groups across three states, hoping someone could help. But everywhere was full, and no one had space for an older stray.
After a lot of back and forth, Isabel decided to bring the cat home. Armed with a carrier, she and her boys returned to the drainpipe.
But catching the cat turned out to be surprisingly simple, as Isabel explained:
“I didn’t have anything to lure her out. I just let her come out of the drain as usual and then scooped her up in the carrier and took her to the vet.”
A vet visit revealed the kitty was about ten years old and had once been someone’s pet before being abandoned. The thought broke Isabel’s heart and confirmed her decision to adopt the sweet feline, now named Drain Pipe.
Adjusting to her new life took some time. At first, she was shy and cautious, darting around the house and hiding at the smallest sound, as Isabel shared:
“She would just do laps around the house, sniffing and scratching at everything, and she’d hide every time there was a noise in the house.”
But little by little, she started to come out of her shell. She found a favorite spot – a kitchen chair with a pillow – and began to warm up to her new cat sibling who was the same age as her.
Now, Drain Pipe is living her best life. The difference in her is incredible. She went from a lonely, abandoned cat to a cherished part of the family.
With a new furry pay to play with and a family that treasures her, she’s finally found the happiness she deserves. Who knew such a chance encounter could lead to so much joy?!
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