The stray, now named Kelsey, was waiting to be picked up by animal control when she caught Sgt. Brian Wallace's eye.
A kind-hearted Florida police officer couldn't help but adopt a poor kitty he encountered during an overnight shift.
Read: Kitten Found Shrink-Wrapped to UPS Package for 4 Days Will Now Settle in His Fur-Ever Home
“She seemed to take to her new role as partner to Sgt. [Brian] Wallace, however, she did fall asleep her first night on the job,” the Lakeland Police Department wrote in a Facebook Post.
The poor kitten, now named Kelsey, was found under a lamppost as Officer Mike Cardin was patrolling during the night shift.
Instead of leaving her outside, Cardin brought her back to the police station, and created a kitten bed using an old box previously used for records. The kitten was then supposed to wait until animal control arrived.
That’s when the grey feline caught Wallace’s eye.
“He didn’t want her to be alone all night, so he scooped her up and kept her with him throughout the shift,” the Facebook post wrote.
Wallace continued to work with the kitten on his lap, and soon they were inseparable.
He even loaded Kelsey and her box into his patrol car when he was dispatched.
By the end of the night, Wallace said he couldn’t help but adopt her.
“Congratulations to little feline officer Kelsey on her new loving home,” cops wrote.
Watch: Meet Troop Cat Ed, Police Department's Latest Recruit Often Caught Snoozing on the Job