Taking care of stray cat leads couple to $50,000 lottery jackpot

July 16 (UPI) -- A Kentucky couple said taking care of a stray cat paid off when they stopped to buy food for the feline and won a $50,000 lottery jackpot.

The Florence couple told Kentucky Lottery officials they were out running errands when they decided to stop at the Turfway Food Mart to buy food for a stray cat that lives around a local shopping center.

The couple said they have been buying food for the cat for about three years, and when they stop at the store for cat food they usually buy two scratch-off lottery tickets.

The animal lovers ended up buying a pair of $5 Payday scratch-off tickets during their cat food run, and they each scratched off a ticket, with the wife revealing a $50,000 prize.

"At first, I thought it was a $5 winner, but then noticed a comma," the wife said. "As I scratched off more, I was like, 'Oh my gosh, it's $50,000!' It was awesome."

She said taking care of the cat turned out to be unexpectedly lucky.

"If we hadn't turned around and gone back this probably would have never happened," she said.