After Multiple Medical Hurdles, This Kitten Found the Perfect Route Home

Courtney S. and her partner, Max, had been talking about adopting a second cat for a while. They decided they were ready to welcome another kitty into their home, who they hoped would befriend their beloved 9-year-old cat, Elliott.

“We were hopeful that Elliott would come around to the idea of a playmate,” Courtney says, “even if it took some time for them to find their rhythm.”

In March, Courtney and Max came across 8-month-old kitten, Router, on the ASPCA website.

“I'd been casually poking around for months, but the second I saw his face, I just knew he belonged with us,” Courtney says.

Courtney didn’t know it yet, but Router himself had been on quite the journey over those months, as well.

Challenging Beginnings

In August 2025, when Router was only 4 weeks old, he was transferred from the Animal Care Centers of NYC to the ASPCA Kitten Nursery. At the Kitten Nursery, fragile neonate (newborn) kittens who are too young to survive on their own receive lifesaving care and treatment from our experts and foster caregivers.

After Router arrived, he was diagnosed with ringworm, a fungal infection that requires dedicated treatment and isolation since it can spread between animals. While the Kitten Nursery and our foster caregivers have the resources needed to take proper care of ringworm-positive kittens, it can take weeks or months for them to fully recover.

Nearly three months later in November, Router was finally ready to find a home of his own. Unfortunately, another hurdle in his health was soon discovered.

Router was diagnosed with portosystemic shunts (PSS), which are abnormal blood vessels which directly join the blood supply from the intestines to the main circulation. Normally, blood passes through the liver, which processes nutrients and filters out toxic substances. With PSS, a significant amount of blood bypasses the liver, which can lead to several significant negative effects, including neurological signs and urinary stones.

In Router’s case, it was determined that his PSS was likely congenital, meaning it was present at birth. Congenital PSS are usually in a single blood vessel and suitable for surgical correction. Router received this vital surgery at the ASPCA Animal Hospital in January 2026. At the same time, a stone from his bladder was removed, which was caused by the PSS.

A month after Router’s surgery, he was also treated for a fever and anemia, likely a result of PSS.

Thanks to the dedicated care of the ASPCA’s medical team, Router made a wonderful recovery and was finally made available for adoption — just in time for Courtney to find him.

Getting Cozy Together

Courtney says that it was love at first sight with Router. She did have questions about the special care he would need due to his medical journey, but our staff was there to support her.

“Thankfully, the ASPCA team was incredibly helpful,” Courtney says. “They walked us through his medical history and helped us understand what day-to-day life would look like. It also didn't hurt that every person I spoke with said Router was an absolute sweetheart.”

Soon enough, Router was on his way to his new home with Courtney and Max.

He wasted no time curiously exploring and getting to know his new space. Right off the bat, he was a sweet, playful new addition to the family.

While Router was being introduced to his new home, the only challenge was getting to know Elliott, Courtney’s resident cat. Router’s kitten energy proved to be a lot for the older cat to manage. To help them get along, he and Elliot were separated at night and had supervised playtime during the day.

“Things have improved steadily over time,” Courtney says. “Router is starting to learn boundaries, and Elliott is slowly coming around to the fact that Router just wants to have fun!”

These days, 10-month-old Router is all about playtime — he even loves to play fetch with his favorite toy! After burning off some energy, he’s usually ready to curl up with his people for a snooze. He’s an affectionate cat who is full of love, purrs and kisses.

“He has definitely made himself at home, and we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Courtney says.

Courtney says that adopting both Elliott and Router were two of the best decisions she has ever made, even though it can be a lot of work at times. She and Max dedicate a lot of time to playing with Router and keeping him engaged.

“Watching Router develop his routines, find his favorite spots in the apartment and leap through the air chasing his favorite toy is pure joy and absolutely worth it,” Courtney says. “The bond and love that forms are like nothing else.”

June is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, and there’s no better time to consider adopting a cat like Router! Nationwide, thousands of cats and kittens are waiting to find loving homes. That’s why we’ve launched a goal to find 325 cats like Router the loving homes they deserve this summer. There are plenty of ways to get involved and help cats!

Whether you’re ready to adopt a feline companion of your own, become a foster caregiver, or you want to find another way to help vulnerable cats, learn more by visiting aspca.org/meow!