A Good Samaritan, who cares for local feral cats, noticed a new kitty on the block who had come to join the others for food.
When she realized he was friendly and didn’t belong outside, she contacted her local rescue, Ridgewood Rescue (NY), and asked if they could help him. Without hesitation, they agreed, and so began the process of getting the cat, named Chris, into a safe place.
When Chris reappeared outside the finder’s home, she opened the window and tried to coax him in.
The cat was intrigued, rubbing his face against the window frame as he peeked inside the apartment. He was hungry and seemed eager for a safe haven. With food, treats, and plenty of chin scritches to offer, he took a leap of faith and moved indoors.
After exploring the apartment, Chris lay contentedly, feeling completely at home.
“When we came to pick him up, we realized he was a non-microchipped, neutered male who clearly had a home at one time. He was super sweet and friendly,” Heather Glassberg of Ridgewood Rescue told Love Meow.
“We made posters and asked around the area, but no one came forward to claim him, which sadly happens quite often. We decided to place him in foster care while we looked for a permanent home.”
Chris cuddled up to his people, as if trying to make up for lost time. He was delighted to have constant attention and an endless supply of food. However, they soon noticed he was struggling with the litter box.
They tried everything under the sun (different kinds of litter, litter attractants, extra boxes, calming pheromones, etc.), but nothing seemed to work. They took him to the vet to rule out anything physical and consulted a cat behaviorist to work on additional steps and tricks, but it was to no avail.
Despite the setbacks and frequent accidents, they refused to give up. Then, one of the volunteers recommended looking into barn-cat adoption as a possibility for Chris.
“We thought maybe he had always been a cat who was let outside to use the bathroom, hence his inability to adjust to the litter box. We didn’t expect much but figured it was worth a try.”
Shortly after, a woman from MA reached out to the rescue. “That’s when a miracle happened.”
The woman, who lives in a semi-rural area, had been searching for the perfect feline companion to join her family. Her previous cat, who had passed away, had shared a doggie door to the backyard with the family dog.
“After speaking with her, we knew we had found the best option for Chris. We appreciated her honesty and dedication to making the situation as safe as possible. She was willing to accept that he might have litter box accidents inside.”
“She and her husband drove over five hours, and we drove almost four hours to meet in CT for the handoff. Tears were flowing on both sides as we said goodbye.”
They knew the family was a great match, but they couldn’t have anticipated the transformation he would undergo in their care. “Chris has had no accidents after over two weeks and was using the litter box just fine.”
He has blossomed into a spoiled house cat, but best of all, he has formed an adorable bond with the adopter’s granddaughter.
Chris, now Felix, has found his forever homeRidgewood Rescue
“Last we heard, he had not even gone outside yet. They really love him. His name is now Felix.”
Perhaps Felix was waiting for the right family with the magic touch, and now he is where he truly belongs.
