An officer saved a kitten from an uncertain fate. The kitty insisted on joining his team and becoming his feline partner.

Lt. Andy Simmons of Hillsborough Police Department (North Carolina) was contacted about a kitten found on Facebook Marketplace. "Someone tried to get the kitty to use as bait for dogfighting. A coworker of my wife located her and contacted us," Simmons told Love Meow.

When Simmons got the kitten, he was immediately smitten. Once he brought her home, the long-haired grey kitty fit right in and made herself a permanent part of their family. They named her Mercy and she would follow him everywhere around the house and wanted to know everything he was doing.

When it was time to leave for work, Simmons was met with the persistent little kitty, insisting on tagging along. Soon he learned the true meaning of "resistance is futile".

He brought Mercy to work one day, in the hope of recruiting her as their police cat.

"At first officers were hesitant because a police cat is a strange concept," Simmons told Love Meow. "As days and weeks went on she began to bond with them (usually climbing on their shoulders as they sat). It became the new norm."

Now the kitty, who was lovingly dubbed as Officer Mercy Meow, is an official part of the squad. She takes her duties very seriously. She is a loyal companion and is never far from her faithful partner.

"She typically follows me everywhere I go like a herding dog would."

Besides mandatory naps, her job responsibilities include hanging out with co-workers, giving them their daily kitty fix, helping with paperwork, and making people smile with her lovey personality and purr power.

When Sergeant Jon Purvis started his first shift at the department, Mercy congratulated him the only way she knows how, "that is with love and invading personal space."

They have built a jungle gym for their beloved feline officer so she can stay active and in tip-top shape.

She also has free roam of the entire building and can patrol from room to room, keeping things in order in exchange for some love and pets.

Although she doesn't fulfill certain K9 duties, Mercy takes impressive naps and gives thorough uniform inspections.

Sometimes she does both at the same time.

"She is very curious and wants to investigate every noise she hears. Mercy climbs on officers like jungle gyms and is yet to meet a stranger. " Simmons told Love Meow.

"The laid back personality makes her a perfect fit for her current role."

Mercy hops on Lt. Simmons' shoulder when he leaves for work in the morning and climbs back on when it's time to head home.

Simmons gave Mercy a place of her own a few months ago. She returned the favor by being his most loyal feline partner.

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