'He's now an indoor only cat who is living his best life': One year after showing up skinny and hungry, Smokey's transformation is incredible

The useful part

Cat lovers on Reddit's r/cats subreddit often talk about the cats that seem to choose their humans, and Smokey's story fits that description perfectly. About a year ago, a family opened their front door and found a young cat sitting casually on a deck chair. When they greeted him, he answered with a raspy meow that sounded like he'd been smoking for years.

How it works

• As they spent more time with him, however, they noticed he was far too skinny.
• Smokey showed up looking for food, but he ended up finding a family.
• After getting some food and water, he wandered off, leaving them disappointed and wondering if they'd ever see him again.
• The next day they took him to be scanned for a microchip, but none was found.
• Soon after, he was neutered, microchipped, and officially welcomed into the family.

What to take from it

Looking back, they believe Smokey may have been abandoned when someone moved out of a nearby apartment complex. The once-skinny stray who struggled with overgrooming has grown into a happy, healthy indoor cat.

Details worth keeping

It was a small moment that ended up changing all of their lives. At first, they assumed Smokey belonged to someone nearby. He was dirty, dehydrated, and covered in fleas.