People Share Their Unexpected Encounters With Cats In A Dedicated Online Group
No matter how arrogant or self-absorbed cats seem, they always find a way to purr their way into our hearts. If you are a cat person — a cat owner, especially — you know that cats have this eerie, almost magical, tendency to hang out in the weirdest places. Even if you don’t own a cat, the odds of you stumbling upon one in the most unexpected places are still very high.
Some people have taken to sharing their heartwarming “catspotting” experiences with the rest of the world. If you’re having a gloomy day, scroll through the Facebook group “Catspotting” to see some of these moments. Don’t know where to start? We’ve compiled some of our favorites to share with you. Let’s go!
The savior of the Sahara
Depending on where you live, you might expect to see some cats in your neighborhood. But if you were to take a trip to the Sahara Desert, what species of animals would you expect to see there? For us, we never would have guessed cats.

This person was probably like us when they were as shocked when they saw a kitty wandering in the desert! The human community living there was kind to provide travelers with information about the cat: it scares away the scorpions for them! An angel in disguise!
Cats are liquid
When we say we have so many questions for this cat in the picture, we are not exaggerating. And we’re sure you have some, too. How did the cat even get in there? How is it going to get out of that tube? And most of all, why is it even in there?

The cat looks comfy, though. When they say cats are liquid, they are absolutely right! This person’s expectations of finding a cat in what looks like a drainage hole were very slim but, apparently, not zero. This must’ve made their day brighter!
Watching and being watched
You know how everyone has this innate feeling in the back of their minds when they are being watched? When we finally turn around to look who’s been drilling their eyes into our backs, we expect to see a creepy human, not a cat!

This Canadian was chilling, watching TV, in their living room when they felt some uncomfortable tingling on the back of their necks. They felt like they were being watched. And they were right – they were being watched from another screen! We wonder what they were watching on TV because the cat looks concerned.
Bookmark guardian
For some reason, cats are a dime a dozen in Turkey. With cats and pigeons everywhere to pet and feed, it is heaven on Earth for cat people. Turkish cats run the place and can be seen in the most unexpected spots.

Just like we never expect to see a cat sleeping in a small gift shop on the top of a souvenir stand five feet up from the ground! It looks like it’s guarding the bookmarks. We don’t think anyone will want to steal anything from this vendor — they’ll want to pet the kitty instead!
Snow
Even when you don’t own a cat, there is still the chance that you’ll come face to face with a cat inside your own home. We don’t know how they do it, but they just show up in your living room — on top of the stairs, in this case — and act like they belong there.

There’s nothing you can do if you stumble upon this cat. It looks like a big snowball against those dark steps. With these blue eyes staring into yours, you are bound to feed it, pet it, and if it doesn’t yet have a home, you might even offer it a place to sleep!
Chaos Goblin
You know how sometimes you “misinterpret” a cat, and it turns out to be the exact opposite of what you thought it was like? Like, you may think your new cat is all sweet and nice, but it turns out to be a bitey demon in a fluffy disguise!

This cat is the same: the person misjudged the cat as a sweet, sleepy angel lounging in a restaurant’s window. The cat soon showed its true colors as a chaotic goblin who mocks everyone that passes by. Though they were right about one thing: this heterochromatic cat is beautiful.
Ginger soil
Seeing a cat curled up in a planted pot is usual but still, somehow, an unexpected place for a cat to sleep. If you are a cat owner, you’d know that cats always prefer some ugly, old basket in your garage over the expensive, majestic lounge you buy for them!

This cat looks quite comfortable in this plant pot, to be honest. It looks like this tree is planted in ginger dirt with ears — a perfect fit. Curled up on the cool, damp soil with the plant giving you shade in the summer seems like a purr-fect vacation spot!
Juno’s new house
Cats are known for making themselves at home anywhere they want — in a restaurant window, under the bushes on your lawn, in your garage, under the bridge in the park, anywhere they feel safe. So, if they show up at your house, don’t shoo them away.

Take it as a compliment if your neighbor’s cat makes itself at home in your shed. Plus, you won’t be able to deny this pleasantry with those round kitty eyes staring at you. Just like this person couldn’t say no to this ever-charming kitty!
Security alarm cat
Watching cats sitting in the window is always a pleasant sight — there’s no better view to spot when you’re window shopping or just strolling around town. But let us tell you, it is even more fun when you put a funny sticker on the window for passersby.

Like how this person put a sticker that says “security alarm associated with security central” in Norwegian, where their catto usually lounges most of the day. Whenever someone passes by, the cat meows at them so loud that it looks like it’s a security alarm cat! Great way to scare away the creeps!
Cat-ouflage
Cats love furry rugs and soft blankets as much as they love hard, seemingly rough, uncomfortable surfaces. What can we say? It all depends on the cats and their current moods! Sometimes, when you get them a soft round bed, they’d still prefer to sleep in a box.

Yet, sometimes, all they need is a soft, furry rug for a long, lazy cat nap, no matter where the rug is. Like this snow-white cat curled up on an equally white rug — it’s the purr-fect view that no one would dare disturb. It almost seems like the cat has cat-ouflage on the “floating cloud.”
Pretty black rose
It seems like plant pots have become the new favorite place for cats. And not the empty ones, mind you — the ones with soil and flourishing plants in them. Well, we’re only humans; we can’t tell exactly why, but we assume that it’s because it’s cool and soft.

This cat, the way it’s rounded up in the pot, seems like it’s replaced the flower! A beautiful black rose, indeed. We had to do a double take to be sure of what we saw, but we adore how this cat has made itself so comfortable in the small pot — a purr-fect fit!
Supermarket staff
Supermarkets are rather boring to walk around and sometimes even anxiety-provoking when we can’t find an item on our list. And we’re often hesitant to get help. Asking for assistance at the grocery store requires a huge courageous heart, especially if you’re prone to anxiety.

And for kids, it’s a downright boring trip. So, we believe it’s a great idea to have pet cats in there for emotional support! Like this little one who was spotted in a supermarket, out of all places, meowing sweetly at the customers!
Foxy on a Foxy
Showing off isn’t seen as an admirable trait in humans very often. But when a cat does the same, you can hear the oohs and awws all around. What a weirdly amazing species we are. Foxy mocking and showing off its skills is one of the funniest and cutest cat stories!

We know very well that it’s not Foxy (the car) this majestic cat is standing on, but please cut us some slack. What are the odds that the cat named Foxy is standing on a car when there is a car named Foxy in the same neighborhood too?
A ghost in the window
Imagine chilling outside, and you hear a tap from behind. You turn around and see another “you” behind the glass. If it were us, we’d run away as though we’d seen a ghost! Don’t blame the outside cat for sprinting off scared after seeing a similar cat inside.

The outside cat was in a trance and couldn’t process the whole thing. No matter if it thought it was its reflection or a real identical cat, the outside cat got scarred for its life. That chonky indoor cat should’ve been a tad less creepy with the window tap.
A floppy-eared morning view
This cat is the exact depiction of what we look like on a Monday morning. We are not even exaggerating — the messy hair, the same grumpy expression, ditto. Except this cat is still able to look flawlessly cute and beautiful even with the floppy ears!

This person’s Monday morning automatically got a whole lot better when they passed this floppy-eared majestic ginger angel sitting on the front porch. The cat looks like it’s done with living in this human world — we feel the same, little dude, trust us. Don’t worry; it gets better!
New fluffy neighbors
Cats make the best neighbors. They are the wise old souls, playful kids, grumpy teens, attention-deficit and tired adults, all in one. Except they’re better than all those humans because they are furry, soft, and purely ethereal. Plus, their interference in our business doesn’t feel awkward.

These cats moved with their family to a new apartment near the OP’s home, and it looks like the kitties have already found their favorite personal lounging spot in the window. Of course, the tenants are going to be excited to welcome these new neighbors to their building!
Peek-a-meow
Morning walks where some adorable little animal stops you in your tracks with their cute little button eyes staring at you so innocently are the best. Sure, nature does its thing when you go for a walk in the park, but seeing cats and dogs there makes it ten times better.

This person saw a gorgeous little catto peeking from behind the fence. Of course, the person had to stop mid-walk and pet the cat (and take pictures of it)! No one sees a sweet little boi and ignores them. These green googly eyes are too difficult to dismiss.
Cat in a bubble-pack
We love humans, but we have a special place in our hearts for humans that bring their cats everywhere. Either in a basket, a purse, or a bubble backpack — their cat goes where they go. And when the cats do those little meows at the strangers from their comfy bubbles…

That’s when our cuteness aggression kicks in! It takes everything for us to keep ourselves from cat-napping that cute kitty and smush it with all our love. This cat sits ever-so-comfortably in its hooman’s bubble. The innocence on its face is immeasurable!
Grace-ful model
Cats are natural models; we all know that. No wonder the “catwalk” was based on the cats’ walk. The natural beauty, the grace, that piercing look that leaves you breathless, the overwhelming urge to pet them and never stop…only a cat can do it.

This cat sits on the top of a tied bundle of branches like it’s a throne, and the world is its kingdom. It probably is, and we are willing to kneel to our majesty. Grace can have as many belly rubs and cuddles as she likes, and no one would care to question the name!
Cat-napped in a bubble
Cats have this weird yet hilarious tendency to be dramatic at moments that could certainly fool anyone who looks at them. At times, it could get their humans in trouble too for “not taking care of them”! It’s only funny when it doesn’t happen to you.

This cat is dramatically screaming from inside its hooman’s bubble bag, roughly translates as “help! I’m being cat-napped!” At least, the face says that; we hope it’s not actually being cat-napped by that blue-haired skater, or it’s not being suffocated or claustrophobic in there.
Purr-fect fit
Here’s another example of how plant pots are a cat’s favorite place to take a cat nap! No matter the shape or size of the pot, cats being “liquid” always find a way to fit in it ever-so perfectly! Nothing feels quite as comfortable as a plant pot, either.

Just look at this tired cat. What a peaceful and nice cat nap she is having; we’re almost envious of this gorgeous species right now. We are left wishing for such sleep — napping wherever we can, whenever we can!
Big ginge roll
Waking up at 5 in the morning feels like nothing less than torture, especially when you haven’t slept enough. We believe all adults can agree on this one. And we also believe that seeing cats greeting you on your way to work instantly erases that angry gloomy feeling!

This big ginger catto greets this person every morning when they step out for work at 7 am by rolling on the sidewalk! Such a charming way to brighten up their mood, as well as the whole day. A purr-fect picture of the big ginger roll is enough to melt everyone’s hearts.
Bitey-kitty
If you haven’t ever owned a cat, or any pet at all, you probably wouldn’t know that animals show their affection for their hoomans by giving them friendly love bites and purring at them after! How sweet is this habit; we can’t get over this cutest animal fact!

This kitty may look like she’s trying to bite the finger off this person, but it is nothing like what it seems. This cat, as this person puts it, is extremely gentle and sweet, albeit rather bitey! Just know that these are friendly nibbles, not tear-off-the-flesh angry bites.
Librarian in-charge
If you know cats well, you’d know they’re serious about their work. They are quiet and natural business masters. They do not tolerate any nonsense from anyone. If you train a cat to do something, we can assure you that they won’t disappoint you.

By the looks of it, this cat is a bookstore assistant manager. At least, by the way, the cat is all loafed up on the desk. You can tell that this is a no-joke matter — just do your thing and leave. This old soul is in charge, and you don’t want to mess with it.
Cat sanctuary
We couldn’t have heard a better, more wholesome cat sanctuary story than this one. Taking in stray cats and sending them for adoption without any greed for money or any other selfish motive is the most amazing thing one can ever do!

Okay, so this owner runs a place that was originally a thrift store, but now it is part-store and part-cat sanctuary. Here, stray cats find shelter and are fed for a few days before they are given up for adoption. And all proceeds made in the process go to the kitties!
Rub the belly
This has got to be a good life: lying on the sidewalk and receiving belly rubs from passersby! What a strange idea this cat had for its life. You usually do not expect to find a cat lying casually on a sidewalk, belly up, meowing to get a belly rub, do you?

Cats love belly rubs. It’s their “sweet spot,” and they enjoy it as much as we love chocolate. We know it’s not a good comparison, but you get the point. A cat being pet and rubbed, and hoomans having the time of their life with a floof ball — it’s a win-win!
Chonky cutie
You may think that when cats aren’t roaming around, they’re just lazy and sleepy. Well, if that’s your thought process, you don’t know cats very well. Cats love to loaf up anywhere they like — in the weirdest places, most of the time — but they are always alert and attentive to their surroundings!

Just like this chonky cutie. Seeing this ball of fluff at a local supermarket is an unusual place for it to be, especially in a pram, but here it is! This person knows cats well enough to know that this cat is alert and doesn’t like casual petting from strangers.
Pride is here
When they say cats are proud animals, they say it for a reason. This picture depicts how self-assured and majestic cats think of themselves: only cats can look poised while wearing this rainbow clown collar! No other animal can pull this off, as cats can!

This person went to their friend’s apartment and found this “Pride” cat lounging outside their apartment. It is likely not this friend’s cat, or that clownery in the Pride collar wouldn’t have surprised this person as it did. We live for this Pride ally!
Big, bold, and beautiful
Finding a big, bold beauty casually sitting in the middle of a village like a magnificent lord of a kingdom is nothing less than a good omen for you. It’s not a superstition or anything, just a fact as it’s bound to make your day brighter!

This person found this huge gorgeous thing — bigger than a cat; it seems — in a village. But who cares exactly what species it is when you are so mesmerized by its striking beauty and grace? Its yellow eyes are almost hypnotizing. Wish we could see this magnificence in person!
Little one lost
One of the most heartbreaking things in the world is finding baby animals all alone, left to fend for themselves, with no parent or person to take care of them. So it’s always wholesome to hear someone taking an abandoned baby animal home and looking after them.

This person did exactly that: they found a little kitty on a farm all alone. At first, naturally, they waited for its mother to come back, but when she didn’t, they decided to take it home. They got a nursing cat and full-time care for the kitten. We hope the little one is doing okay now.
Purple bricks throne
Cats in the human world bring a laugh to us sometimes. Not in a mocking way — don’t get us wrong. It’s just that a few words have the power to change the whole picture, right? Now imagine a cat in that picture: a kitty sitting by the “property for sale” board…

This cat brought that picture to life! This picture can have two meanings, depending on how you view it. One, someone put the cat under the “for sale” board as a joke, and two, this is the cat’s mighty throne. Whichever way you see it, it’s funny.
Kitty is back
Cats are always jumpy; you may call it their defense mechanism. Like when you take out your camera or phone suddenly to take their picture, and they sprint in the opposite direction. Good thing is if they see you are not a threat to them, they come back and may even meow at you!

Like this little kitten came out of the curtains nonchalantly, not noticing the human at first. But as soon as it saw the human there, it ran back inside. The human took the picture just in time before it disappeared. But apparently, it came back and looked at the human still standing there!
Hanging out on the Audi
Hanging out on someone else’s Audi isn’t considered very nice, and the owners usually get people away from their fancy cars if they see randoms touching them. But cats…oh! What it’s like to be a cat and have all the power in your paws! Humans take pictures of them instead of shooing them away!

These three — yes, three — pretty best friends hanging out on Audis is our favorite group picture from now on. Find the third one, if you can. We’ll give you a hint: it is well camouflaged in the leaves. Three differently furry cattos just casually hanging out in a parking lot…nice!
Beauty in the window
If you have a cat and a window that looks out on the street, chances are that window is your cat’s favorite spot. We bet it spends most of the time lounging there, watching and purring at people who pass by. Also, chances are that people will stop by and take pictures of your cat!

It’s true and you can see it for yourself. This little cutie lounges in the window as it’s its favorite spot and meows at the people in the street. This person couldn’t help but take a picture, just like we couldn’t have helped ourselves if we were in their shoes!
Ball of cat
Some cats are so fluffy that we have to do a double-take to make sure we are seeing right — they look more like a loaf of bread than a cat! And the way they ball up like fluff balls with googly eyes doesn’t help either.

Just like this cat! A big snowball with the head of a cat on top! We see cats walk across the parking lots and disappear somewhere, but we rarely see cats sitting under parked cars. Thank god for whoever saw this gorgeous snowball before the car owner pulled out from the lot!