A cat was found cold and wet in a planter by the street. Two months later, his life completely turned around.
Early this year, rescuers from PuppyKittyNYCITY received a text about a cat abandoned in a flower pot by a busy street, desperately needing help. Cold, wet, and terrified, the cat was too weary to escape when rescuers approached him.
After carefully securing the cat in a crate, they noticed a much bigger issue. Over 30 cats had been forcefully removed from a hoarding situation in the adjacent building. They raced to bring them all to safety.
The gray and white cat that led the people to save all these precious lives was named Hero.
Hero was safe and warm at the rescue and sought comfort in a cubby bed. He was scared but didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Volunteers took turns to keep him company and showered him with gentle pets and loving words.
The vet discovered he was born with bilateral luxating patellas, which caused the cat’s kneecaps to slip out of place. He would need surgery to help him walk without pain.
A few days after surgery, Hero propped himself up on all fours and took a few steps forward like a champ. The resilient little guy went to his foster home to continue his recovery.
Warm, comfy, and pain-free, Hero had never felt so good, and his walls began to crumble. The comfortable foster home quickly put him at ease, and he emerged from his cubby bed to explore.
Reassured by his foster mom, he no longer needed to hide in his cave, and he lay on a fluffy bed to bask in all the attention and pets.
Hero greeted his foster mom when she came in the next day. He rubbed against her legs over and over before curling up beside her, kneading, and purring away.
Soon, his voice was unlocked, and he began to chirp and meow, begging sweetly for attention.
“He has been through so much, and he’s still willing to trust humans and give them another chance,” the rescue shared. “His life has changed so much in such a short time. He knows he is safe now.”
As Hero healed and regained his strength, he felt confident enough to play for the first time. He batted at stuffed mice with vigor and was fascinated by whirling wand toys.
One day, Hero crawled onto his foster mom’s lap and claimed it as his favorite perch.
“Hero is a lap cat. To see him safe, warm, and on a lap is all we could ever ask for.”
He turned into a purring cuddle bug and wanted to be with his people at all times. He nuzzled into their open arms until he was smothered in love.
After nearly two months in foster care, Hero was ready to look for a forever home where he could live a life of luxury. A few days ago, his dream finally became a reality.
A woman who had been following Hero’s journey fell head over heels for the sweet boy. She held Hero lovingly on her lap, speaking softly to him when they met.
He climbed onto her lap and burrowed his face into her arm. “This boy deserves everything and so much more.”
Hero has come a long way from a dirty, rejected cat thrown into a flower pot to a happy, clean, handsome boy cherished by his forever family.
