About a year ago, just days after Ferhat Hayat and his father opened a glassware shop in Turkey, they were greeted by a little white-and-orange cat lingering out front. Seeing no one else around, the pair decided to take him inside for the day.
“We fed him well and made sure his belly was full. He hung out all day,” Ferhat told The Dodo. “When we closed up for the night, we prepared him a place outside so he wouldn’t get cold.”
This would only be the beginning.
The next morning, the stray cat returned — cozying up in a chair meant for employees. No one had the heart to turn him away.
“He’s been with us ever since,” Ferhat said. “He has received all his vaccinations and check-ups.”
Ferhat named the cat Şakir.
Nowadays, Şakir spends his days exploring
the neighborhood and lounging in the sun outside the shop. But no matter where he wanders, he always comes back inside.
Every day, as if to thank Ferhat for his kindness, Şakir leaps onto the counter and gives him a warm embrace.
“Whenever he looks at me, I open my arms, and he comes over to hug my neck,” Ferhat said.
Here’s footage from the store’s security camera, capturing their sweet routine:
Ferhat works long hours there, but they’re something he looks forward to thanks to those visits from Şakir.
What started with a stray cat outside the shop has blossomed into a daily ritual neither of them wants to live without.
