Wilson was finishing an evening shift at Costco Wholesale last week when an out-of-place shopping cart suddenly grabbed his attention. The only item in the cart was a blue mesh pet carrier, and as Wilson got closer, he realized someone had been left inside.
As a full-time cat dad, Wilson recognized the carrier right away. But he was confused about why there was a full-grown cat inside without a single shopper claiming him.
“My first reaction, honestly, was confusion,” Wilson told The Dodo. “I’m thinking, ‘Why is there a cat here? Why is my home life at my work? Why am I excited? Wait, what happened?’ all at the same time.”
Wilson ran to the cart to get a better look at the cat. That’s when he noticed writing on one of the side panels that made the situation even more heartbreaking.
“I checked the carrier bag and noticed there was ‘Misty 14 [years]’ written in Sharpie on the back side,” Wilson said.
Misty, a black-and-orange calico, seemed confused when Wilson peered inside the carrier. Someone had seemingly placed her in the shopping cart, then wheeled it into the store’s garage bay before walking away. And while the other employees on shift shuffled around the store looking for answers, Wilson could only think about Misty’s needs in that moment.
“I have three black cats at home,” Wilson said. “Everyone was figuring out what to do, people were going to find managers, etc. So for some time, the cat was just with me, and I thought, ‘Why don't I make her a mini home while she's here?’”
You can watch that moment here:
Wilson quickly grabbed two pieces of foam board to line the cart, then set up a makeshift bathroom with litter he’d bought for his cats at home and a black garbage bag. Then he opened a can of wet food and unzipped the carrier so that Misty could explore.
Misty, who’d been abandoned wearing a little blue sweater and a harness, was too scared to step out of her carrier at first. But Wilson refused to leave her there, frightened and alone. He stuck by her side while his coworkers contacted their local animal shelter.
Before long, the folks at Animal Care Centers of NYC (NYCACC) agreed to take Misty in and care for her while Wilson and his coworkers figured out a plan. Sadly, Wilson couldn’t adopt Misty himself, since he had three cats at home. But some of his coworkers expressed interest in keeping her once the shelter gave her the all-clear.
“A few of our coworkers may offer to adopt Misty, and some of us plan to stop by the shelter to see her regardless,” Wilson wrote in an Instagram comment.
As of now, Misty is still resting and recovering from the whole ordeal at NYCACC. It was a worrisome event for everyone involved, but thankfully the sweet girl is OK and should be ready for adoption in a few days.
And while Wilson never expected to come across an abandoned cat carrier at work, he’s glad he was there to care for Misty that evening and show her that she wasn’t alone.
“Seeing Misty reminded me of home and my cats, Zorra, Reynard and Power, and I just wanted to help out,” Wilson said.
