Older Lady Finds Money on Floor Every Day, Sees Her Cat Bring It and Follows Him – Story of the Day

Lonely pensioner, Wendy, has spent most of her life providing shelter cats with a forever home. When her newest pet, Lucky, starts bringing home dollar bills, Wendy quickly realizes something suspicious is happening in her neighborhood.

“There, there.” Wendy reached into the pet carrier and stroked the shorthair cat she’d just brought home from the shelter. “This is your new home, Lucky, where you’ll always be safe.”

Lucky peeped out at Wendy’s other four cats, who were sniffing curiously in the carrier’s direction.

“That’s just your new family.” Wendy scratched behind the cat’s ears. “Let’s see if you’ll be brave enough to get to know them over dinner.”

Wendy went to the kitchen. Four of the cats came running when she opened the tin of cat food. She set down their bowls and was about to take Lucky his food to eat in the carrier when he appeared at the door.

“Mah-ow,” Lucky mewed at her.

“What a brave kitty.” Wendy stroked the newcomer and gave him his food. “I knew you’d fit right in.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Wendy fixed herself a grilled cheese for dinner. While she ate, she lovingly watched the cats get to know each other. Although she couldn’t really afford another pet, Wendy hadn’t the heart to say no when her friend at the shelter called earlier that day.

“Nobody wants this cat,” Hannah had said. “They can’t see past his scars and age to the sweet personality beneath. If you don’t take him, Wendy, I don’t know what will become of him.”

“Feeding five cats is not that much different from feeding four,” Wendy reasoned.

“The most important thing is that Lucky has a good home to spend the rest of his life in.”

However, Wendy soon began noticing the difference it made to her budget. The cat food and litter ran out just a little bit faster, and her pension was already stretched a bit thin.

Wendy sat down one day to figure out how to continue without digging into her meager savings. While she crunched numbers, a painful meowing caught her attention. She hurried into the sitting room and immediately realized something was very wrong with Lucky.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“But will he be okay, Dr. Perry?” Wendy pressed her hand against the transparent box. Inside, Lucky lay curled in a ball with a drip attached to his leg. His eyes were dull with pain.

“We’re doing our best for him, Wendy, but it depends on what happens next. All we can do is pray that he responds to the medication.”

Wendy stared at Lucky. She wasn’t even confident she’d be able to pay for his treatments, but she couldn’t let him suffer either. She wished she could reach in and stroke him so Lucky would know he wasn’t alone.

“What do you want with my cat and me? If you’re trying to poison us then you won’t succeed. I’ve already called the police!”

“I can see he’s another of your rescues, Wendy, so I’m only going to bill you for any medication we need to give him.”

Wendy shook her head. “As I’ve told you before, Dr. Perry, I appreciate your kindness, but Lucky is my pet and my responsibility.”

The young vet frowned at Wendy. “I’m still going to keep offering, Wendy. You’ve done these cats a great kindness by taking them in, and I wish you’d let me help you ease the burden where I can.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Lucky returned home in good health a few days later, but something strange started happening. The Saturday after she brought Lucky home, Wendy discovered a few dollar bills lying on her doormat.

She assumed they’d fallen from her purse when she returned home earlier, but she found more money the next day. This time, it was lying on her bedroom floor.

“What is happening?” Wendy muttered as she counted the money. She checked her purse, but no money was missing.

On Monday, Wendy uncovered a new clue. She was knitting a cap for her friend, Hannah, when Lucky entered through the cat door with something in his mouth.

“You better not be bringing mice into my house, Lucky!”

Wendy rose to see what the cat had brought in. She gasped when he dropped a twenty-dollar bill.

“Where are you getting these?” Wendy asked. Lucky’s only response was to rub against her legs.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Wendy called Hannah to ask if she knew whether Lucky had ever done anything like this before. Hannah was just as stunned by the cat’s behavior.

“Maybe he’s decided to pay rent,” Hannah joked. “I wouldn’t worry too much if I were you, Wendy. You know what they say: don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

However, Wendy couldn’t bear the thought of Lucky stealing from one of her neighbors, for that was the only way she could imagine he was getting the money. She decided to watch the cat and see what he was getting up to.

Wendy kept a close eye on lucky the next day. He played a little with Snowy, one of her other cats, then went to sleep beneath a bush in Wendy’s yard. He slept a lot in many different spots.

Wendy watched Lucky tap lazily at a fallen leaf in the front yard. She was beginning to think this endeavor was silly when a strange car pulled up near the front gate. A person climbed out and crouched near the picket fence.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Immediately, Wendy set her knitting aside and reached for her glasses, but they weren’t there! Rather than miss the meeting between lucky and his partner in crime, Wendy leaned closer to the window and narrowed her eyes.

Lucky ran toward the person, who picked the cat up and cradled him on their lap. Wendy couldn’t tell if they were young or old, male or female. The person was too far away, and a hood hid their face.

After playing with Lucky for a few minutes, the mystery person set the cat down and gave him something. The person then ran back to their car. Lucky entered the yard and bounded toward the house as they sped away.

Wendy grabbed the cat the moment he crawled through the cat flap. He was carrying a twenty-dollar bill!

“You aren’t supposed to play with strangers.”

Wendy lifted the bill to the light to examine it. “Your friend could well be up to no good!”

Lucky rubbed against her legs and looked up at Wendy. “Mah-ow.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

The more Wendy thought about the situation, the less sense it made. She began to worry that the mystery person had bad intentions. They might even be planning to poison Lucky!

Wendy was waiting when the car stopped outside her house the next day. As soon as they seemed distracted by Lucky, Wendy burst through the front door wielding her cane.

“What do you want with my cat and me? If you’re trying to poison us then you won’t succeed. I’ve already called the police!”

“Don’t be so harsh on my accomplice. I’m sure he also would want to repay you for the kindness you’ve shown him.”

The mystery person scrambled to their feet, but Lucky, startled by the sudden outburst, hooked his claws into the person and ran up their shoulder. As Lucky leaped to the grass, he knocked aside the person’s hood.

Wendy gasped when she saw the face beneath the hood. She pointed at the person with her cane.

“Why on earth are you giving Lucky money?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I’m sorry, Wendy.” Dr. Perry raised his hands and started backing away to his car.

“Stop right there. You aren’t going anywhere until I get an explanation, Dr. Perry.”

“I just wanted to help. You always refuse to let me waive a portion of your vet bills, so I had to try another way. Lucky gave me the idea, actually. When we were treating him, I tried to get him to play by sticking a piece of paper through a ventilation hole in his cage.”

Dr. Perry smiled and shook his head. “He grabbed the paper in his teeth and carried it to the other side of the cage. I’ve never seen a cat do that, and I realized I could use him to make donations to you.”

“Donations?” Wendy straightened up. “I am not a charity case!”

“No, you’re a good person who’s too proud to accept a helping hand, Wendy. But I had to find a way to help you because you’re one of the few people I’ve met who cares as deeply for animals as I do.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“You see, I was just like you when I was a child,” Dr. Perry continued. “I used all my pocket money to buy food for the stray cats and dogs in my neighborhood, and they eventually became my pets. I also rescued any injured birds I found, but that all stopped when my mom remarried.”

“My step-father took all my animal friends and dumped them in the forest.” Dr. Perry hung his head. “I tried to find them, but I never did. I never forgave him or my mom, either. When I left home to become a vet, I cut all ties with them.”

“That’s terrible.” Wendy wiped at a tear spilling down her cheek. “I understand why you want to help me, Dr. Perry, and I do need the help, but I’ve lived alone all my life. I don’t know how to accept your kindness. I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry I frightened you, Wendy.” Dr. Perry took Wendy’s hand. “Please, can we sit down and discuss a way I can help you care for your cats that won’t upset you?”

Wendy nodded. “Come inside. I have some pop if you don’t want coffee.”

Dr. Perry followed Wendy inside. Lucky was waiting at the door and greeted them with his usual ‘mah-ow’ and leg rub.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

After some discussion, Wendy agreed to let Dr. Perry bring food for the cats every month. He would also give each of her furry friends a check-up when he visited. That way, Wendy could continue enjoying her cats’ company without spending her entire pension on their care.

Dr. Perry also created a fundraiser to help with unexpected expenses, like Lucky’s sudden illness. Wendy wept with gratitude when Dr. Perry told her how successful the fundraiser was.

“Do you hear that, Lucky?” Wendy lifted the cat into her arms and scratched his chin.

“You’re set for life now. No need for any more dubious escapades on your part.”

Dr. Perry chuckled. “Don’t be so harsh on my accomplice. I’m sure he also would want to repay you for the kindness you’ve shown him.”

“I only wish there was more I could do for the cats in this city.” Wendy smiled as she listened to Lucky purring. “But I’m just one old lady, and there are only so many cats I can care for.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Two years later, Dr. Perry still remembered Wendy’s words on that day. He stood before the building he’d recently bought and converted into a shelter. Lucky was perched on his shoulder and seemed unperturbed by the small crowd gathered nearby.

“Thank you all for coming today,” Dr. Perry said. “While I’m happy to see so many familiar faces, it also saddens me that a woman I came to know as a close friend won’t be able to join us today.”

“Wendy spent most of her adult life providing a safe home to cats from shelters all over this city. To honor her memory, I hereby declare the Wendy cat shelter open for business.” Dr. Perry signaled to a man standing nearby.

The man lifted a cloth to reveal a portrait of Wendy with all five of her cats. Lucky was sitting on her lap, mouth open, as he begged for a treat. Dr. Perry had taken the photo himself, and it made him smile as he remembered that day.

“Wendy always wished she could do more to help the cats in our city. I’m counting on all of you to help me fulfil her dream by supporting this shelter.”

What can we learn from this story?

  • Don’t be too proud to accept help. Dr. Perry offered to help Wendy with the kindness of his heart. Instead of being so proud of her independence, Wendy should’ve taken his kind offer.
  • Many beautiful dogs and cats are waiting in shelters for loving homes. Next time you’re thinking of getting a pet, pay a visit to your local shelter. Maybe your next furry friend is waiting for you there.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a stray dog who guards a boy lost in the woods.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life

My Husband Traded Our Family of Four for His Mistress — Three Years Later, I Met Them Again, and It Was Perfectly Satisfying

Three years after my husband abandoned our family for his glamorous mistress, I stumbled upon them in a moment that felt like poetic justice. It wasn’t their downfall that satisfied me. It was the strength I had found in myself to move forward and thrive without them.

Fourteen years of marriage, two wonderful kids, and a life I thought was solid as stone. But everything I believed in came crashing down one evening when Stan brought her into our home.

It was the beginning of the most challenging and the most transformative chapter of my life.

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

Before this happened, I was immersed in my routine as a mother of two kids.

My days were a blur of carpools, homework help, and family dinners. I lived for Lily, my spirited 12-year-old, and Max, my curious 9-year-old.

And though life wasn’t perfect, I thought we were a happy family.

A couple walking on the beach | Source: Pexels

A couple walking on the beach | Source: Pexels

The thing is, Stan and I had built our life together from scratch. We’d met at work and had instantly connected.

Soon after becoming friends, Stan proposed to me, and I had no reason not to say yes.

Over the years, we went through so many ups and downs, but one thing that stayed firm was our bond. I believed all the bad times we spent together had strengthened our bond, but I had no idea how wrong I was.

Lately, he’d been working late. But that’s normal, right?

A man using his laptop | Source: Pexels

A man using his laptop | Source: Pexels

Projects piled up at work, and deadlines loomed. These were just the sacrifices of a successful career. He wasn’t as present as he used to be, but I told myself he loved us, even if he was distracted.

I wish I knew that wasn’t true. I wish I knew what he’d been doing behind my back.

It happened on a Tuesday. I remember because I was making soup for dinner, the kind Lily loved with the tiny alphabet noodles.

I heard the front door open, followed by the unfamiliar sound of heels clicking on the floor.

A close-up shot of a woman's heels | Source: Pexels

A close-up shot of a woman’s heels | Source: Pexels

My heart skipped a beat as I glanced at the clock. It was earlier than usual for Stan to be home.

“Stan?” I called out, wiping my hands on a dish towel. My stomach tightened as I walked into the living room, and there they were.

Stan and his mistress.

She was tall and striking, with sleek hair and the kind of sharp smile that made you feel like prey. She stood close to him, her manicured hand resting lightly on his arm as if she belonged there.

Meanwhile, my husband, my Stan, looked at her with a warmth I hadn’t seen in months.

A man standing in his living room | Source: Midjourney

A man standing in his living room | Source: Midjourney

“Well, darling,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension as her eyes swept over me. “You weren’t exaggerating. She really let herself go. Such a shame. She’s got decent bone structure.”

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. Her words sliced through me.

“Excuse me?” I managed to choke out.

Stan sighed like I was the one being unreasonable.

“Lauren, we need to talk,” he said, crossing his arms. “This is Miranda. And… I want a divorce.”

A woman in a black dress | Source: Midjourney

A woman in a black dress | Source: Midjourney

“A divorce?” I repeated, unable to process what he was saying. “What about our kids? What about us?”

“You’ll manage,” he said in a clipped tone as if discussing the weather. “I’ll send child support. But Miranda and I are serious. I brought her here so you’d know I’m not changing my mind.”

As if that wasn’t enough, he delivered the final blow with a casual cruelty I hadn’t thought him capable of.

“Oh, and by the way, you can sleep on the couch tonight or go to your mom’s place, because Miranda is staying over.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

A worried woman | Source: Midjourney

A worried woman | Source: Midjourney

I felt so angry and so hurt, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

Instead, I turned and stormed upstairs, my hands shaking as I grabbed a suitcase from the closet.

I told myself to stay calm for Lily and Max. As I packed their bags, tears blurred my vision, but I kept going.

When I walked into Lily’s room, she looked up from her book. She immediately knew something was not right.

“Mom, what’s going on?” she asked.

A girl reading a book | Source: Pexels

A girl reading a book | Source: Pexels

I crouched down beside her, stroking her hair.

“We’re going to Grandma’s for a little while, sweetheart. Pack a few things, okay?”

“But why? Where’s Dad?” Max chimed in from the doorway.

“Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes,” I said, keeping my voice steady. “But we’ll be okay. I promise.”

They didn’t press for more, and I was grateful. As we walked out of the house that night, I didn’t look back.

The life I had known was gone, but for my kids, I had to keep moving forward.

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in her house | Source: Midjourney

That night, as I drove to my mother’s house with Lily and Max fast asleep in the backseat, I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. My mind raced with questions I didn’t have answers to.

How could Stan do this? What would I tell the kids? How would we rebuild our lives from the ashes of this betrayal?

When we arrived, my mom opened the door.

“Lauren, what happened?” she asked, pulling me into a hug.

But the words stuck in my throat. I just shook my head as tears streamed down my face.

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

A woman crying | Source: Pexels

In the days that followed, everything became a blur of legal paperwork, school drop-offs, and explaining the unexplainable to my children.

The divorce was swift, leaving me with a settlement that barely felt like justice. We had to sell the house, and my share of the money went toward buying a smaller place.

I got us a modest two-bedroom home. A home where I wouldn’t have to worry about getting betrayed.

A dining table in a small kitchen | Source: Pexels

A dining table in a small kitchen | Source: Pexels

The hardest part wasn’t losing the house or the life I thought I’d have. It was watching Lily and Max come to terms with the fact that their father wasn’t coming back.

At first, Stan sent child support checks like clockwork, but that didn’t last.

By the six-month mark, the payments stopped altogether, and so did the phone calls. I told myself he was busy, or maybe he needed time to adjust.

But as weeks turned into months, it became clear that Stan wasn’t just gone from my life. He’d walked out on the kids too.

A woman standing near a window | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing near a window | Source: Midjourney

I later learned through mutual acquaintances that Miranda had played a significant role in this. She had convinced him that staying in touch with his “old life” was a distraction.

And Stan, ever eager to please her, had gone along with it. But when financial troubles began to creep in, he didn’t have the courage to face us.

It was heartbreaking, but I had no choice but to step up for Lily and Max. They deserved stability, even if their father couldn’t provide it.

Slowly, I began to rebuild—not just for them, but for myself.

A woman working on her laptop | Source: Pexels

A woman working on her laptop | Source: Pexels

Three years later, life had settled into a rhythm I cherished.

Lily was in high school now and Max had taken his love for robotics to the next level. Our little home was filled with laughter and warmth, and it showed how far we’d come.

Our past no longer haunted us.

At that point, I thought I’d never see Stan again, but fate had other plans.

A woman standing in a room | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing in a room | Source: Midjourney

It was a rainy afternoon when everything came full circle.

I had just finished grocery shopping and was juggling bags in one hand and my umbrella in the other when I noticed them. Stan and Miranda were seated at a shabby outdoor café across the street.

And it looked like time had not been kind to either of them.

Stan looked haggard. His once-tailored suits were replaced by a wrinkled shirt and a tie that hung awkwardly loose around his neck.

His hair was thinning, and the wrinkles on his face were proof of his exhaustion.

A close-up shot of a man | Source: Midjourney

A close-up shot of a man | Source: Midjourney

Miranda, still dressed in designer clothes, looked polished from afar, but up close, the details told another story. Her dress was faded, her once-luxurious handbag scuffed, and her heels worn down to the point of fraying.

Upon spotting them, I was unsure whether to laugh, cry, or keep walking.

But something kept me rooted to the spot. I guess it was curiosity.

As if sensing my presence, Stan’s eyes darted up and locked with mine. For a split second, his face lit up with hope.

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

A man smiling | Source: Midjourney

“Lauren!” he called, scrambling to his feet and nearly knocking over his chair. “Wait!”

I hesitated but decided to approach, carefully setting my groceries down under the awning of a nearby storefront.

Meanwhile, Miranda’s expression soured the moment she saw me. Her eyes flickered away as if avoiding a confrontation she knew she couldn’t win.

“Lauren, I’m so sorry for everything,” Stan blurted, his voice cracking. “Please, can we talk? I need to see the kids. I need to make things right.”

A man talking to his ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to his ex-wife | Source: Midjourney

“Make things right?” I asked. “You haven’t seen your kids in over two years, Stan. You stopped paying child support. What exactly do you think you can fix now?”

“I know, I know,” he began. “I messed up. Miranda and I…” He glanced at her nervously. “We made some bad decisions.”

“Oh, don’t blame this on me,” Miranda snapped, finally breaking her silence. “You’re the one who lost all that money on a ‘surefire’ investment.”

“You’re the one who convinced me it was a good idea!” Stan shot back at her.

An angry man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

An angry man looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

Miranda rolled her eyes.

“Well, you’re the one who bought me this,” she said, gesturing to her scuffed designer bag, “instead of saving for rent.”

I could feel the tension between them. It felt like years of resentment were now bubbling to the surface.

For the first time, I saw them not as the glamorous couple who had destroyed my marriage, but as two broken people who had destroyed themselves.

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney

Finally, Miranda stood, adjusting her faded dress with a look of disgust.

“I stayed because of the child we had together,” she said coldly, her words directed more at me than at Stan. “But don’t think for a second I’m sticking around now. You’re on your own, Stan.”

With that, she walked away, her heels clicking against the pavement, leaving Stan slumped in his chair. He watched her go and didn’t once stop her. Then, he turned back to me.

“Lauren, please. Let me come by. Let me talk to the kids. I miss them so much. I miss us.”

A man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

I stared at him for a long moment, searching his face for any trace of the man I had once loved. But all I saw was someone I barely recognized. A man who had traded everything for nothing.

I shook my head.

“Give me your number, Stan,” I said. “If the kids want to talk to you, they’ll call. But you’re not walking back into my house.”

He flinched at the finality in my tone but nodded, scribbling his number on a scrap of paper.

A worried man | Source: Midjourney

A worried man | Source: Midjourney

“Thank you, Lauren,” he said. “I-I’d be grateful if they call me.”

I tucked it into my pocket without looking at it and turned away.

As I walked back to my car, I felt a strange sense of closure. To be honest, it wasn’t revenge. But it was the realization that I didn’t need Stan to regret his choices for me to move on.

My kids and I had built a life full of love and resilience, and no one could take that away.

And for the first time in years, I smiled. Not because of Stan’s downfall, but because of how far we had come.

A woman standing outdoors | Source: Midjourney

A woman standing outdoors | Source: Midjourney

If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: Between her dying father and a sick child, a pregnant Penelope thought she’d seen life’s worst… until she saw a message from her best friend on her husband’s phone: “I’m assuming since there hasn’t been an angry pregnant lady on my doorstep, you haven’t told her about us?”

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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