A chubby cat has been turning heads as he lines up ahead of customers at his local donut shop each morning.
Oreo has become a “regular customer” at Chickenbutt Donuts in Chapin, South Carolina, a donut shop owned by Tre and Sue Dabney.
Mr. Dabney, 53, is a veteran from South Carolina who served in the Army for four years. Ms. Dabney, 51, is from Pennsylvania and holds a degree in photography from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Together, the Dabneys have two children, Jack and Max, whose jokes inspired the unusual name of their donut shop.
About two or three years ago, the Dabneys’ business neighbors Ed and Dianne Bundrick took in Oreo.
“Everyone in the area became familiar with him, and all of the local businesses look out for him,” Mr. Dabney told the Epoch Times.
In the early hours of Dec. 28, 2023, Mr. Dabney was getting ready to open the shop. As he busied himself preparing trays of donuts for the day, he noticed a new visitor.
“There was Oreo, camped out at the front door,” he said. “Snapping a picture was my first order of business. Oreo looked hilarious, waiting earnestly at the door, and I wanted to have proof of the moment to show Sue when she arrived for work.”
Seeing him still patiently waiting an hour later, Mr. Dabney decided to post pictures of Oreo on social media; it wasn’t long before “a star was born.”
Little did the Dabneys know, Oreo’s visits would soon become a daily occurrence.
Now, it’s been months and Oreo has not missed a morning at Chickenbutt Donuts. He is always the first in line, holding a spot at the door before anyone else.
“Customers love him and ask to see him every day,” Mr. Dabney said. “Alas, he IS a cat and so comes and goes as he pleases, but he has yet to miss his morning greeting.”
Oreo has risen to social media stardom and has fans from as far away as Japan and Brazil.
Meanwhile, the Chapin community has showered Oreo with love by donating food, treats, toys, and even costumes.
“We feed him what the community drops off for him,” Mr. Dabney said.
Oreo’s response to receiving free food? Simple gratitude and affection. He rubs and purrs each time he gets breakfast, although Mr. Dabney noted that “lately he’s moved from ‘appreciative’ to ‘insistent.’”
The feline has a home in a small area behind the donut shop and spends time there or in the woods.
There’s no telling how long he’ll continue his morning ritual of being the first in line at the donut shop, but the Dabneys are enjoying it for as long as it lasts.
“We are lucky to have him around!” Mr. Dabney said.
