When Katie Hoover moved into her recently purchased home, she began noticing some odd noises echoing through the rooms.
At first, she assumed it was nothing more than the creaks and groans of an older house. Before long, however, she realized there was something more unusual going on.
The Surprise Hidden Inside Her Boxes
Katie was still adjusting to the quirks of an old property, including the strange sounds that often came with it.
But when one particular noise grew louder and more constant, she decided to look into it herself.
“I kept hearing this weird shuffling sound that I couldn’t identify and was starting to get freaked out, then I rounded the corner to this,” Katie wrote in a Facebook post.
As she examined her moving boxes, she saw that all of them were sealed, except for one. To her astonishment, inside the open box was a full-grown orange cat staring straight at her.
Katie gently carried the cat into another room to keep him separated from her own pets, Artemis and Apollo, while she searched the neighborhood to see if anyone was missing him.
“It didn’t take long to find out what happened. His old owner was elderly and passed away and his family didn’t want the cat, so they dumped him in the woods out back and left,” she continued.
She soon discovered that the cat had been living in a wood shed behind the property for more than a year before she moved in. When he saw her moving boxes, he climbed into one, ensuring his spot inside the house.
“I decided to take him in. It was only right since it was his house longer than it was mine. He sort of came with the house,” she stated.
Settling Into His Forever Home
Since he had already spent some time indoors, the orange cat quickly grew accustomed to life inside.
He even received a memorable name.
“I ended up naming him Murdaugh, after the orange cat from the video game ‘Stray’. But as a nickname, I’ve been calling him Murray or Murray Murder Mittens!” Katie told The Dodo.
In the beginning, Murray had trouble accepting the affection showered on him by his new family.
“He would be very defensive when you’d suddenly pet him. He was used to fighting for survival, so I couldn’t blame him,” she said.
But once he understood he was finally safe, he was able to return that love wholeheartedly.
The biggest challenge came when he had to meet his feline siblings.
“Artemis and Apollo are thick as thieves and weren’t sure what to think of this orange interloper,” she said.
Murray respectfully gave them space, often retreating to the guest room at night while they cuddled with their mom in her bed.
Fortunately, with time, Apollo and Artemis began to accept their new companion. While they may not be inseparable friends, they coexist peacefully and share the home without conflict.
A Happy Ending For Murray
Despite a few sibling squabbles, Murray is thriving in his new life.
He treasures the affection he receives from his mom and relishes the cozy home he managed to claim for himself.
“[The] little stinker is extremely mischievous and a happy house cat once again,” Katie concluded.