When Emily Stepp opened her front door last month, she expected to see only her two cats, Zuko and Mew, lounging inside. Instead, a skinny, fluffy cat darted past her legs and into the house as if she belonged there.
At first glance, Stepp thought it might be Zuko — but he was already curled up indoors. This newcomer only resembled him.
A frayed collar hung around the thin cat’s neck, with a silver tag that read “Ginger” on one side and listed a phone number on the other.
Hoping to reunite the cat with her family, Stepp sent a text to the number. Ginger was affectionate, clearly familiar with people, but her frail frame told another story — one of neglect.
“A cat with the name Ginger and this phone number ran into my laundry room and is hanging around my back porch,” Stepp wrote. “I was just checking if she was lost.”
The reply came quickly but left Stepp uneasy.
“I’m pretty sure we used to have a cat named Ginger back when I lived with my parents in the valley,” the person wrote. “That must be where you’re at. My parents moved to Florida, and I live in West Central now. Crazy part is, that must’ve been five years ago. Do with that cat as you please; I’m very surprised that collar is still on.”
You can read their text messages here:
The revelation stunned Stepp. Had Ginger really been on her own for five years?
Ginger, unfazed, rubbed against Stepp, as if to say she had finally found where she belonged. Though Stepp wasn’t certain she could keep another cat, she resolved that Ginger would never go hungry or unloved again.
“I’m going to make sure she’s spayed,” she posted online. “She really doesn’t look like she wants to be a barn cat anyway.”
Stepp gave Ginger her own room to decompress, away from Zuko and Mew. Almost immediately, the little cat curled up on the bed and began making biscuits, showing she felt safe at last.
“[She’s] very sweet and in our spare room making biscuits right now,” Stepp wrote on X.
Online, people were amazed — how had this small cat survived Washington’s harsh winters, wildfires and predators for so long? Stepp didn’t have an answer, but Ginger’s resilience was obvious. Even after years alone, she still trusted humans.
Over the next few days, Ginger blossomed. Her playful, goofy side emerged, reminding Stepp of her other cats when they were younger.
She also couldn’t help but notice Ginger looked like a smaller, female version of Zuko — a sign, perhaps, that she was meant to stay.
At Ginger’s first vet visit, Stepp anxiously waited for results. Relief washed over her when the tests came back clear: Ginger was healthy and free of major illnesses. Stepp knew then what her heart already had — Ginger was home for good.
Soon, introductions began. While Zuko and Mew were hesitant at first, Ginger settled in quickly, exploring, playing, and soaking up love. With each passing day, the trio grew more comfortable together.
Just over a month after she unexpectedly dashed into Stepp’s house, Ginger has fully embraced her new life. She’s safe, adored, and finally part of a family again.
“She really did choose us,” Stepp wrote. “And now I can’t imagine our home without her.”
