Apostrophe confusion - please help me pedants!

[BroccoliSpears]

"... and let you know it's on its way."

"...and let you know it's on it's way."

??

2nd one I think

it's way.

the first one

It's been posted!

The second one would be "...and let you know it is on it is way.", so I think the first one is correct. It's is short for it is.

definitely number one

The first is correct.
And let you know it is on its way.
Its has no possessive apostrophe. But the apostrophe in the first "it's' signifies the missing I in it is.
Does that make sense?

Which is why I never post on this bit!!!

LOL.

Why does the way not belong to it?

Because 'it' cannot possess in the same way that he or she can.

Thank you all, and especially for the explanations as to why it is the first one.

It is the first one (of course) but I think Lyra's explanation is not quite clear.

It has nothing to do with 'it' not possessing like 'he' or 'she'.

None of the personal pronouns take apostrophes for possessives -- we say mine, yours, his, hers, its.

This will explain it
My explanation was not quite clear as Megbusset said, but I have had 3 glasses of wine.

Jura

Well I have learned something.

It's is only ever a contraction of it is or it has.

Thank you for the link and for putting me straight.

The same applies to that, what, where, when, how, who.

That's the way (That is)
What's the story? (What is)
Where's my pen? (Where is)
When's the concert? (When is)
How's it going? (How is)
Who's the daddy? (Who is)