The Lakeland Police Department’s evening shift had just begun when a report came in concerning a little cat walking alone near a dangerous junction. Officer Mike Cardin was dispatched to investigate, and he discovered the cat snuggled up behind a light post, inches away from Saturday night traffic. He promptly apprehended the thankful kitty and returned her to the station with her.

The cage at the station was far too large (and so easily escaped) for the small cat, so Officer Cardin made her a cardboard box and placed it in the kennel. The cat was meant to stay there until animal control arrived to pick her up, but then Sergeant Brian Wallace arrived for his duty.

Wallace resolved to keep the newest station resident company during his shift as soon as he learnt of her arrival, because he couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her alone.

“I arrived at the station just after Cardin had secured her and proceeded to check on her,” Wallace explained to The Dodo. “Here she was, alone and terrified. Because it wasn’t long after the start of the shift, I couldn’t keep her in that box for another 10 hours simply to have animal control come and take her away.”

Wallace seated the cat on his lap as he worked at his desk, and while she was first terrified and confused what was going on, the more she remained on Wallace’s lap, the more comfortable she seemed to grow.

After a while, Wallace decided it was time to go out on patrol, and he brought the kitten with him.

“I took the original box she was placed in and placed it in the passenger seat of my patrol car, facing me,” Wallace explained. “She sat there for the remainder of the night… and didn’t seem to mind, I may add.”

Wallace and the cat stayed together for the duration of his shift, and when it was through, he realized he wasn’t ready to let her go.

As a result, Sergeant Wallace adopted the cat and called her Kelsey.

“That sweet tiny face… “I was done,” Wallace said.

Kelsey has moved into her new home with Sergeant Wallace and is settling in nicely. She’s still getting used to living in a comfortable house rather than on the streets, and she’s enjoying every new pleasure she’s been given. Her favorite aspect of her house is, of course, her wonderful new father, who is already her greatest buddy.