“If I moved her, she would scream and then climb right back up.”
When Matt Ramsey clocked into work last week, he was expecting a relatively low-key night. Things at the family-owned hotel got particularly quiet around midnight, so he decided to walk around the building to get some fresh air.
Moments later, he heard tiny cries for help ringing through the parking lot. He followed the cries and soon realized a frightened kitten needed help.
“She was meowing loudly under one of the cars in the parking lot,” Ramsey told The Dodo. “I tried to coax her out for about 15 minutes, but she wouldn’t budge.”
Ramsey, a dog dad with little experience with cats, wasn’t sure what to do. He brought water out to the kitten, who’d darted into a bush after being discovered, and soon earned her trust enough to scratch her ears. Ramsey turned away again, and this time, the kitten ran after him. Then she started climbing his legs.
You can watch that moment here:
The kitten wouldn’t let Ramsey walk two steps without hurling herself onto his legs and attempting to climb. She screamed at him frantically, desperate not to be left behind.
With an entire shift still ahead of him, Ramsey tried calming the kitten down and made a makeshift bed for her to sleep in, but she wasn’t taking no for an answer.
“I didn’t have anyone I could call since it was so late, and I didn’t want to just leave her there,” Ramsey said. “I tried making up a box or bed for her … but she wasn’t staying there, so I brought her in.”
Matt Ramsey
The kitten was relieved to be inside as long as Ramsey kept her company. She quickly found her way to his shoulder, where she spent most of the night napping and earning her new name: Dandruff.
“She was only content when she was on my shoulder or my chest,” Ramsey said. “If I moved her, she would scream and then climb right back up. She meowed in her box anytime I had to go complete any tasks.”
Matt Ramsey
Ramsey sent messages to his loved ones, hoping someone would offer to take her home. He thought about his dog, Spike, and how he would react to a strange new addition like Dandruff.
When he received confirmation that none of his loved ones would be able to keep Dandruff, he realized he was her only hope.
“The original plan was to rehome her with a family member when they woke up, but they turned me down when I offered, and by then, I was pretty attached,” Ramsey said. “I decided to officially adopt her after that.”
Matt Ramsey
Dandruff happily joined Ramsey’s family and has since claimed a permanent napping spot on his shoulder. While she’s still getting familiarized with her brother, Spike, the two seem to be hitting it off well so far.
“Her and Spike have only had brief interactions, but he is very excited about the new smells and sounds coming from the bathroom, where she is isolating while we work on integrating the household,” Ramsey said.
Matt Ramsey
Dandruff is on her way to having full rein of Ramsey’s house, and she’s looking forward to settling in as the family’s most beloved feline member.
Until then, Dandruff will keep soaking up all the love Ramsey has to offer and thanking her lucky stars that she found him in the parking lot that night.
To keep up with Dandruff’s story, you can follow Matt Ramsey on X.
