Person noticed healthy cat sitting on the sidewalk for 3 hours, refusing to budge — when people saw the photo, they begged them to rush it to the vet

Animals sometimes behave in ways that leave us puzzled and concerned. In November 2025, a Reddit user known as u/adenp noticed a cat sitting on a sidewalk for hours, refusing to move. The sight lingered in the user’s mind, leading them to share it online in hopes of understanding the cat’s strange behavior. The post, titled “Cat on the sidewalk hasn’t moved in over 3 hours. Is it normal?” quickly drew responses offering advice about taking the feline to the vet. 

In the photo shared by the Reddit user, a healthy cat can be seen sitting quietly on the sidewalk. Fellow Reddit users expressed concern, suggesting the cat might be lost or injured. The user wrote in one of the comments that the cat "may be a lost cat." They said they saw a poster for a missing cat that looked very similar to this one. To which one user, u/Acrobatic-Dolla-8800 replied, “Yes, please take her to the vet to be checked for a microchip or call the number. Lost cats tend to stay where they are when they realize they’re lost or will wander around their home if they know where home is…” Many other commenters also emphasized the importance of checking for injuries or a microchip. u/datboifranco wrote, "That sounds like a lost or injured cat. Maybe check for posters nearby or see if it responds to gentle calls."

Despite the widespread concern, the Reddit user could not immediately help the cat. In another comment, they mentioned that they had contacted the number, but it didn’t belong to the cat’s owner. Since they didn’t live nearby and had seen the cat while walking to and from the train station, they were already heading home. They further added that they might return to the area the next day or the day after to see if the cat was still there. Many online users continued to urge checking back, offering reassurance and guidance on how to care for lost or possibly injured cats until someone could reach the location.

Several users shared personal experiences to stress the urgency of helping the cat. One user, u/Soireb, said, “Please take the cat to a vet. One of my torties was found like this. My father-in-law saw her as he walked by his house. Came back hours later and she hadn’t moved at all; same place, same position. My boyfriend went and picked her up, we later took her to the vet discovered she had a broken leg...” Others noted that the cat might have wandered out during Halloween festivities or could have been lost, encouraging the user to either take it to a vet or alert a local shelter for assistance. Later, the Reddit user posted an update on the post itself, saying the cat was no longer at the sidewalk. “So I went back to the place. The cat is not there anymore. I think it may have been waiting for someone, as you guys suggested.”