A couple in southern West Virginia has captured hearts on social media after taking in an orange cat who was found crying outside their front door during an ice storm.
“The poor little dude was screaming at our front door during the ice storm. He ended up getting real comfy real quick,” the caption reads, earning more than 42,000 upvotes at the time of writing.
The January 25 Reddit post shared by user u/dead_wolf_walkin includes a slideshow of images shows the drenched cat safely inside the couple’s home—first sitting and eating with his fur still wet, then later sprawled on the sofa and finally relaxing on his back atop a pile of blankets.
The poor little dude was screaming at our front door during the ice storm. He ended up getting real comfy real quick.
by u/dead_wolf_walkin in cats
In the comments, the man said that he and his wife originally planned to make a warm outdoor shelter for the feline. But his expression—and his interaction with their own pet—changed everything.
“They sniffed a bit and he roamed on in. We just shrugged and prepped for a bath instead,” he said.
‘He’s a Drop Off Stray’
The couple believe that the cat may have been owned previously based on how calm and affectionate he is.
“We fully believe he’s been owned because of how chill he is,” the poster said. However, neighbors suspect otherwise.
“The neighbors seem to think he’s a drop off stray because they work with the local animal rescue and they’ve been trying to get him in their porch shelter for a bit now,” he added.
“If we find out he’s just escaped from somewhere we’ll happily give him back, but if we find out he has owners that put him out in the freezing snow storm,” then the couple will keep him.
The man later wrote in the third person that the neighbors, who volunteer with a local rescue group, said the cat had been roaming for a couple of weeks. They believed he was likely abandoned, adding that he had been visiting the couple’s indoor cats through the window for several days.
The rescue group also “think he’s a drop off/abandonment. They were working to gain his trust themselves.”
The viral rescue happened as bad weather swept across the region. Winter weather warnings remained in effect across much of West Virginia, with up to 14 inches of snow expected in higher elevations and significant icing threatening central areas. Forecasts also said there would be 2 inches of snow and winds up to 45 mph, prompting the National Weather Service to urge residents to “consider delaying all travel.”
However the man said the conditions are “OK” where they live and there is “more ice than snow.”
He added that the long weekend brought unexpected companionship:
“Considering my wife and I both work for the local school system it’s just been a nice relaxing long weekend with food and apparently a new kitty,” he said.
‘We’re Fine With Him Staying Too’
The couple have four cats already—two inherited after the man’s mother passed away—but they are open to making room for the newcomer if needed.
“If someone we trust offers we’ll probably rehouse him because we already have four cats (we just inherited my mom’s cats after she passed). But he’s super cuddly and he’s getting along with our current cats better than expected so we’re fine with him staying too,” the man said.
The user also noted that in their tightly packed neighborhood, pet abandonment is unfortunately common. “We don’t have a lot of outdoor cats here, but we’re a pretty tightly packed neighborhood known for kids, so we get a lot of animals dropped off with the thought of ‘someone will take them.’”
Reddit Reacts
The post has already generated more than 750 comments, with many users relieved to see the cat safe and warm.
“I work outside in all weather and I know how this dude feels. Being out in this cold is exhausting, it just saps your energy after a few days of it,” posted one user.
“Probably the best sleep of his life!”
Others urged the couple to check for lost‑pet reports just in case. One wrote: “Depending on what’s practical and the condition he’s in, you might want to see if he was lost. I’d hate to think the cat was dumped but there’s a possibility he got out when his people weren’t aware and got lost. You’re definitely going to be the best one to judge how likely that is though.”
Newsweek reached out to u/dead_wolf_walkin for comment. We could not verify the details of the case.