All of Maurice’s life, he was a homeless person. The wary stray had no idea who to believe or where to go for shelter. The young cat afterwards witnessed two indoor cats fawning over him from the other side of their home’s door, and ever since, nothing has been the same for him.

In 2021, Maurice showed up every time Valerie May worked in her garden. But it wasn’t long before the stray noticed two indoor cats peering out of a doorway.

“He began to spend a lot of time chirping at them through the screen door,” May told The Dodo. “My kitties seemed intrigued by him — not at all threatened or territorial.”

After a few weeks of this, May opened the door for Maurice and let him inside.

“I tried to find out if any of the neighbors knew where he came from, and the vet scanned him for a chip, but his story remains a mystery,” May said.

Although he first resisted being petted, Maurice appeared to be adjusting to his new life immediately away.

He spends time with [our two cats], Fifi and Muggsy, in their secure garden and sleeps indoors, occasionally on the bed, according to May. He seemed to be really content to be with us.

Maurice has undergone a tremendous transformation after being saved. He’s stopped looking for food, and his fur has thickened and grown lustrous.

Knowing that one of these once homeless kittens is secure makes me so happy, May said. As he learns to be tame and to trust us, I’m spending as much time as I can with him during what I like to refer to as his “transitional phase.”

May first knew of Maurice years ago when her cat, Edie, brought Maurice to the house. Edie eventually passed due to medical issues, and Maurice disappeared for a while after. Then, one day, he came back.

Though Maurice misses his first real friend, he’s finally ready to open up to new cats and new experiences of indoor life.