Bringing Home Bacon
A few bills here and there could be easily explained. Maybe it was playing with whatever fell on the floor?
However, when he noticed the feline brining in a constant stream of literal cash, and not mere pennies, he had to find out where it was coming from. Was this an actual cat burglar?
Another Adoption
Stewart loved pets, probably more than his wife was content with.
They had already adopted three strays – two cats and one dog – but there was always a yearning for more. His wife, however, finally put her foot down and forbit anymore “lost causes” in their home. So, when an adorable American Curl showed up on his office doorstep, he was torn.
Let's Keep It!
But thanks to a clever loophole within his wife’s rules, he found a way to keep the begging, shivering stray.
She said he couldn’t bring anymore pets home. But she never said anything about keeping them in the office! Stewart welcomed in the new “staff” member, having no idea it would soon be turning a profit.
What's This?
He came into the office one morning to see a couple one-dollar bills on the floor near the front glass door.
Someone must have dropped them. He scooped them up, put them on the front desk and then went about his day. So did the cat – who was very ready to insert himself into their daily duties.
New Employee
Aside from winning the hearts of the entire staff, the little guy loved to nap on desks, peek over monitors, and even walked over keyboards and accidentally sent unfinished emails.
A few days later, he walked in on another collection of dollar bills. The cat napped contently on them right at the entrance. What was going on?!
Getting Weird
Steward kept a close eye on their little mascot. However, nothing out of the ordinary happened.
It didn’t rummage in purses or gnaw at the petty cash box. Day after day the bills would appear, and by the end of the week they had over $50! It was time to find out the truth behind their unexpected stream of revenue.
Watching Closely
Their office was already on a busy street, so getting permission to install another camera went over just fine.
Stewart set everything up and watched through his monitor. But nothing happened. The cat would nap and wander as usual. It wasn’t until they locked the doors, and everyone left, did he finally see what was going on.
Money Game
The fluffy boy lay at the entrance. A man walked by, grinned, and tapped the glass – trying to get the feline’s attention.
It wasn’t until he pulled out a single dollar and waved it in front of the small gap in the door, did the cat actually show interest. Then an unbelievable, amusing game unfolded.
Mine!
The man poked the edge of the money through the gap.
The cat, which had been sitting perfectly still, suddenly lunged for the exposed corner, bit it, and pulled it through. Round one? Cat 1, man 0. This happened a couple more times until the man smiled and walked away. But things would only get crazier.
Gaining An Audience
Stewart had no idea how the game had started, neither did the rest of the staff.
Who had first shoved in the money to play with the bored kitty? It didn’t matter – word of the unique interaction had spread. He soon found people would intentionally come to their office to see if they could be more clever than their purring mascot.
Sneaky Kitty
The kitty would sit there, “uninterested” until he saw a chance to get the bill.
Then he would swipe at it and claim his reward. People would giggle and take video. One day, there was even a lone line of people waiting to take their turn. Soon, the mischievous cat was sitting on a pile of cash. It was then Stewart realized they had a problem.
For A Good Cause
It would be difficult, or nigh impossible, to give back the money.
And it wouldn’t be fair to keep it for themselves. So, their team gathered together and made an important decision. They were going to donate all money made from the cat to homeless and animal shelters. But that wasn’t all.
Beware
It was meant as a cute warning “BEWARE: This cat will steal your money and won’t give it back!”
Stewart pulled out their office supplies and made a flashy sign to explain what they would do with the “lost funds.” It also gave them a perfect idea to finally name their sticky-pawed employee.
Finally, A Name!
“There’s only one fitting name,” Stewart said. “Cashnip.”
At the time, it felt perfect, but the response was nothing like they had anticipated. It wasn’t just singles bills here and there, Stewart walked in one day to see his digital and physical inbox overflowing with unthinkable comments.
Getting Famous
There were so many “thank yous” and well-wishes.
But the most astounding thing was there were many greeting cards with cash donations inside! Cashnip wasn’t just pulling in money from the locals, his little hustler had now gone international! There was, however, one onlooker that watched everything with clear disapproval.
Unhappy Camper
Stewart and the team noticed one middle-aged woman would regularly walk down their sidewalk.
Perhaps she also worked in their area? The tight-curled woman stood apart from the enthusiastic crowd, watching as the cat would wander from his favorite sleeping spot on the floor to the door and back.
Watching Closely
The downward turn of her lips made her look like she was sucking on a lemon.
Everyone in the work team started to feel uncomfortable. There were so many stories of people “stepping in and taking action” when they felt something was wrong. Was this lady going to do the same?
Slightly Stalkery
Every day she was stroll down the street, pause at their office, look for the cat, and then frown before wandering away.
Stewart’s mind couldn’t help but race with crazy scenarios. Was she going to claim they were using the cat? Didn’t she realize he was so much better off than on the streets?
Getting Weird
It only got worse when, one day, she stopped right in front of the window.
She pulled out her camera, snapped a photo of Cashnip relaxing on one of their displays, and then reached into her purse. What she pulled out next had the entire office slack jawed and confused.
Odd Details
It was a measuring tape.
The woman proceeded to measure the width of the window and jot something down on a piece of paper. She then leaned in, nearly face-to-face with the kitty and then suddenly walked away. Stewart sat at his desk, mid-sip of his coffee, and wondering what in the world had just happened.
Huge Box
But just when the thought things couldn’t get any crazier, something arrived at their office.
It was a large box with a handwritten note attached. It was from the woman. It said, “Cats shouldn’t have to sleep on a cold floor. If he’s going to be ‘working’ at least he should be comfortable.” Stewart ripped open the box and let out a loud laugh.
Unexpected Gift
It turned out the stern woman was not only a cat-lover, but she also worked at a furniture company.
The measurements and close photos were all for a good reason. She had made a little sofa for the cat to sleep on! It could sit at the front window. But that wasn’t all.
Custom Made
She had looked close at the cat because she wanted to match the color of the upholstery to the color of Cashnip’s eyes.
Everyone in the office giggled as they rearranged the front part of the office for the new sofa. Even Caship loved it. It also gave them a marvelous idea. They could take this entire thing so much further!
Taking It Further
It was for charity, so why not go the extra mile?
Over the next few weeks, they all went nuts with excitement. They made a dedicated website, all social media accounts, and even got some t-shirts and mugs made to sell – with the proceeds going to the shelters, of course.
Best Pet Ever
Soon, their media sites had thousands of followers.
The team could snap photos of all the gifts and cards and post them online to say thank you. Their little guy continued to snatch money at the door and making everyone smile.