How a Stray Cat Became the Star of Denny's One Ayala

(SPOT.ph) Once in a while, it's good to give our brains and feeds a bit of a cleanse. Few things do a greater job of that than posts of a little cat in a little costume, and all the better if you know that he's well and truly looked after.

But the best part about this internet sensation, one Waffle of Denny's in One Ayala, is you can go visit him.

First of all, Waffle is a great pet name across the board. (On the Spot team, we have a Crispy, a Potato, a Soya, and a Misua; can you sense a theme?) But before he was the gray-and-white de facto mascot of the One Ayala branch of Denny's, he was a hungry stray that disappeared the night the staff and one generous guest first fed him. It's not unusual for creatures more used to the harsh streets of Manila to be completely transient.

But the cat returned the next morning, and has "been chilling around in front" ever since, Denny's Philippines said in a recent Instagram post.

Over time, he went from curling up near the door to having his own little house, food bowl, scratching post, and glow-in-the-dark collar, all courtesy of the Denny's staff and the cat lovers among their patrons. Upgrades have been made for his maximum comfort, but this cat earns his keep, ostensibly by modeling. Customers don't just stop by to have breakfast and give him a little pat; they donate the costumes, food, and other goodies that help Waffle be the cool cat that he is.

It's not all silly hats and tuna when it comes to how Denny's treats their front-door feline. The upgrades to his setup aren't just for show, but for his enrichment; the staff had him neutered and keep him up-to-date on his vaccines, as much for guests' safety as well as his.

And this isn't an anomaly among Bistro Group concepts. Other notable rescues include Mington of Morton's The Steakhouse, Cotton of Longhorn Steakhouse MOA (plus her two babies), Sinnai of Italianni's in Filinvest, and Rocker of Hard Rock Makati.

These are very much community cats, with Waffle in particular inspiring enough love from both the establishment and guests to be able to get treatment for his recent diagnosis of a blocked bladder, and plenty of proper aftercare too. If you've seen him on a leash and wondered if you're living in a world gone mad, you're not—he's recovering and on a strict, special diet to stay happy and healthy.

Instagram user Erin Alfonso commented on Denny's post, saying she'd seen Waffle before he ever had that name: "He used to be very wary of people and would always hiss when approached. Now, he likes to be cuddled."

While we love that for Waffle and hope you all get to visit him too, we'd be remiss if we didn't remind our readers that not every mascot is down for a belly rub. It's always best to ask the restaurant staff whether it's okay to approach them as they'd know best.

You can come and wave at Waffle at Denny's, C-105 Ground Floor, One Ayala, EDSA cor Ayala Avenue, Makati City.