Alex da Ponte had just pulled into the McDonald’s drive-through with her son when she noticed a little orange cat trying to jump into people’s cars. She saw that the cat was wearing a collar, so she watched for a bit to see if maybe she belonged to someone nearby, but quickly realized the cat was on her own.
“I pulled out of the drive-through line and into a parking spot,” da Ponte told The Dodo. “From the parking spot, I watched two other families try to dodge the cat as they came back to their cars … That’s when I decided to get her. No one else was helping her, and she clearly needed help. She was desperate to get into a car.”
Da Ponte called to the cat, and she immediately ran over without hesitation. She could tell that this was the family she’d been looking for.
“She was eager to get out of that parking lot,” da Ponte said.
Once they were all safely in the car, da Ponte’s son decided to name the cat Seats. The little cat wasn’t nervous at all and quickly made herself at home in the car, cuddling with da Ponte’s son, looking out the window and exploring her new surroundings.
“She was completely at ease in the car,” da Ponte said.
She was so comfortable that she even stole a french fry once the food arrived. Within minutes, da Ponte and her son were completely head over heels for Seats the McDonald’s cat.
Once they were back home, da Ponte got Seats all settled in and set about trying to find a foster for her. Their neighbors stepped up to take her — and it didn’t take long for them to fall for her, too.
“They foster failed big time and have adopted her,” da Ponte said. “So Seats is now our neighbor!”
From the moment da Ponte saw Seats, she knew she needed help, and now looking back, she’s so glad that she stopped to welcome her into the car.