How Goblin the Adorable Adopted Cat Won Over a Loving Family

In December 2025, six emaciated cats were found abandoned in an apartment by the NYPD. All in need of various medical interventions, they were brought to the ASPCA Animal Recovery Center to receive the care they needed.

After their intake, the rescued cats were placed on individual refeeding plans so they could safely reach healthy weights. When starvation has occurred and the body is in an emaciated state, reintroducing full caloric intake quickly can lead to dangerous metabolic derangements and fluid shifts in the body, which is potentially fatal. While on their refeeding plans, caloric intake was restricted and the cats were weighed daily. With careful management, they all began to reach their ideal body condition while in our care.

In this group of cats was 1-year-old Goblin, who came into our care with a malodorous, dirty coat, and was also treated for hypothermia and hypoglycemia. Thanks to our dedicated staff, Goblin made a full recovery alongside the other cats and was ready for adoption in a few short weeks.

The Purr-fect Family

Lucy R. and her partner were hoping to find a new companion for their 18-year-old tabby cat. They first browsed the listings on the ASPCA Adoption Center’s website and then decided to visit in-person. While there, they were introduced to several potential feline friends, including Goblin.

They were immediately smitten by Goblin, who made a wonderful first impression.

“He was tiny, with slightly crossed eyes that gave him a perpetually startled expression and a little pink tongue that poked out beneath his lip, making him look like a living emoji,” Lucy says.

Lucy thought he was incredibly sweet, and once she learned about the difficult life he had endured before coming to the ASPCA, her affection for him only deepened.

One month after entering our care, Goblin was heading home.

Settling Into His New Home

Upon moving into his new home, Goblin, who was renamed Oscar, settled in quickly and bonded well with his new cat friend. Within weeks, his full outgoing personality began to emerge.

“The quiet, gentle little cat we had first met has turned out to be equal parts loving and mischievous” Lucy says. “He is incredibly affectionate and will happily bathe you with enthusiastic, rough kisses.”

Oscar even began to show some dog-like traits. He enjoys chasing after a ball, galloping down the hall to take up his position as goalie. He is also quite a curious boy, always discovering new hiding places in the home. He likes to keep his family on their toes!

One thing Oscar is working on is learning how to respect personal space. Whatever his people happen to be doing, they can be sure Oscar will want to be right in the middle of it.

“If someone is taking a shower, he insists on poking his head through the curtain to investigate,” Lucy says. “Bedtime is no exception. He insists on sleeping sandwiched between us, often burrowing under the covers.”

Seeing the World Through New Eyes

These days, Oscar is living his best life. He has proven to his new family that although he is a little guy, he has an enormous personality. His adventures have even extended beyond the walls of his home.

“He has accompanied us to Cape Cod, where he discovered the wonders of nature, bugs and car rides,” Lucy says. “He approached each new experience with the same curiosity he brings to everything else.”

Earlier this year, Lucy’s beloved senior cat sadly passed away, and they miss their longtime family member dearly. It has been a few months since then, and they are now considering returning to the Adoption Center to find a new feline friend for Oscar.

“Oscar has enriched our lives,” Lucy says, “and we feel incredibly fortunate that our search for a companion led us to him.”