On a chilly, windy afternoon in Valdese, North Carolina, Avery Rogers clocked in for another shift at her family’s food truck, Lucky Dogs NC. She thought her day would be all about serving customers — until she noticed a small figure moving across the parking lot.
“I didn’t know if she was stray or feral or what the situation was,” Rogers said.
Customers soon confirmed what Rogers suspected: the little shadow was a cat. Bit by bit, the cautious feline crept closer, seemingly drawn by the delicious smells drifting from the truck.
“People think she could smell the food from our truck,” Rogers said. “Maybe that’s why she kept inching closer.”
By midday, the cat was weaving between parked cars, using them as shelter from the wind. Rogers kept a close eye on her — and eventually offered the only snack she had on hand.
“About halfway through my shift, I set out some water for her and a hot dog,” she said.
To Rogers’ surprise, the hungry cat gobbled it down in seconds. From then on, she lingered near the truck as if she had nowhere else to be.
When Rogers’ shift ended, she walked over, expecting the cat to bolt. Instead, the little tabby came right up — and melted into her arms.
You can watch the cat walk up to Rogers and ask to be loved here:
“She was very clean and very sweet,” Rogers said. “It seemed like she’d been dumped.”
Rogers didn’t hesitate. She called her husband, who arrived with a carrier, and the couple took the cat straight to the vet to check for a microchip. No chip was found — which meant she was free to go home with Rogers for good.
In honor of their food truck’s most popular hot dog, the Bluetick Hound, they named her Blue.
Blue, about a year old and in good health, quickly settled into her new life. She now spends her days curled up in cozy beds, soaking up cuddles, and slowly getting to know her new cat siblings — Bagheera, Bear, Blake and Benley.
“She’s 100 percent a lap cat,” Rogers said. “She just kind of lays around wherever we are.”
But Blue’s arrival also carried a deeper meaning. Not long after she joined the family, one of Rogers’ childhood cats, Bentley, was given only days to live. At that heartbreaking time, Blue became an unexpected source of comfort.
“It’s a hard time, but she’s so cuddly,” Rogers said. “She showed up right when we needed her.”
Now, Blue is more than just a lucky cat — she’s living proof that sometimes the right soul shows up at exactly the right moment.
To keep up with Blue, follow Rogers on TikTok.
