A cat came to stay with a kind person right before an overnight freeze, but it turned out to be forever.
A tabby cat had been seen wandering around a neighborhood in Gainesville, FL without a place to call home.
When the temperatures began to drop a few weeks ago, Alyssa DeHart who lives in the area and fosters for her local animal rescue, couldn’t leave the cat out in the cold.
She decided to look for the stray and try to bring him inside. “I spotted him from across the entire parking lot,” Alyssa told us. Not knowing if the cat was friendly, she tried to call to him to see if he would respond.
To her surprise, when the cat saw her, he came trotting and meowing in her direction. The next thing she knew, she had a cat rubbing up against her legs and crawling into her arms and lap.
The cat was very friendly and eager for affection. “I wasn’t entirely sure how he would react to being indoors. I had no idea of his story.”
The moment the cat stepped into her home, he turned into a full-fledged love-bug. He was starved of love and couldn’t get enough of head scritches.
The sweet tabby cranked up his purr motor and settled snuggly into her lap, as if he was home.
Alyssa lovingly named him Lucky. He was treated for fleas, ear infections, and a wound on his leg. The vet was able to scan for a microchip, but the owners decided to relinquish the cat as they could no longer care for him.
“How lucky we both were in that moment. I could not fathom letting him go,” Alyssa shared with us.
Lucky was so relieved to be indoors that he cuddled in bed all night, stretching his toe beans next to Alyssa. He showed a ravenous appetite and gobbled up all the treats he was offered.
After a couple of weeks of recuperating, he was done with all the meds and ear drops, and was able to enjoy his time with his person fully, without a care in the world.
Alyssa was in the right place at the right time when Lucky made his run for her. Perhaps, he knew in that moment that she was the one.
At about five years old, Lucky will never have to spend another day braving the elements of the outdoors or being scared off by traffic or predators.
He can now sleep soundly in his human’s bed each day and knead every blanket that he graces.
A month after Lucky found Alyssa, she officially made him a permanent part of her family. “I love this boy so much, and it really feels like he chose me,” Alyssa said.
“He follows me everywhere I go and makes the cutest little dinosaur noises. He is a total cuddle-bug and the best view to wake up to every morning.”
“I really thought I was just bringing him inside for the overnight freeze. I had no idea the medical care he needed or that he’d become my forever best friend.”
