Last August, an orange tabby cat was found living in inappropriate conditions in an apartment alongside 16 other cats after their owner was hospitalized. Following their removal, these cats were transported to the ASPCA by the NYPD to receive urgent medical care, with many of them suffering from untreated illnesses and conditions. Croissant, as he was later named, proved to be a very special case, soon warming the hearts of everyone he encountered.

Upon examination, Croissant was found to be emaciated, dehydrated and had severe dental disease. The dedicated staff in the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) started him on a strict refeeding plan to gain weight back safely. Once he was stable, he also received the crucial dental surgery he needed.

When he first entered the ASPCA’s care, Croissant was very underweight and dehydrated.

“He was definitely one of our animals who had friends all over the building right from his first day with us,” says Greg Smart, Adoption Veterinary Assistant.

After building back his strength and recovering in our care, Croissant was adopted in September. But unfortunately, he was returned to our care in October after suffering severe injuries from a high-rise fall.

A Resilient Recovery

At the time of his return, Croissant had dislocated fractured wrists on both forelimbs, a fractured right front leg and a fractured left hip. He was immediately placed in bilateral forelimb splints and had a hard e-collar on while waiting for two vital surgeries at AAH. Over the span of three months, our veterinary teams worked to fuse Croissant’s wrist joints, also known as carpal arthrodesis, and they also performed a femoral head ostectomy procedure to address his hip fracture.

In between his surgeries, Croissant would spend his days resting and recovering at the ASPCA Adoption Center, where he received plenty of attention and love from the team. After his hip surgery, he also started physical therapy to regain strength in his limbs.

Despite everything Croissant had been through, he showed his incredible resilience. He routinely took his medications without issue, and he never fussed with the e-collar he needed to wear at all times.

“He continued to be a very sweet, friendly and joyful cat through every treatment and exam,” says Sydney Lu, Adoption Veterinary Assistant. “He was always so excited to see people, which was one of my favorite things about him.”

Shelter or medical environments can be stressful for any animal, so Croissant’s affectionate, relaxed behavior helped him stand out as a special guy. Whenever Sydney brought him his medication, he would climb right into her lap for a cuddle. Though he had faced plenty of painful challenges, he still showed everyone how much he loved and trusted people.

“Healing animals like Croissant is the reason I do the work that I do,” says Sydney. “Working with him every day made me feel like I was treating one of my own cats, and I sure loved him like he was one of mine.”

Croissant after his front limb surgery (L) and after his hip surgery (R).

Love at First Sight

Before his injury and return to our care, Kayla S. met Croissant while socializing with the Adoption Center’s cats as a volunteer. She was immediately struck by his bright orange fur and yellow eyes.

“He was kind of an instigator, going around sticking his paws under the doors of the other cats' condos, trying to play with their toys,” Kayla says.

Kayla met Croissant again in October when he was back in the Adoption Center with casts on his front legs. She could tell that he really craved and appreciated human affection, and she soon realized how special and resilient he really was.

“Even though it was obviously hard for him to get around, he would clomp over immediately and get in my lap and start purring,” Kayla says. “I became obsessed with his round face and his pouty little mouth. In fact, he is the cutest cat I have ever seen.”

Kayla began sending pictures of Croissant to her husband, Ricardo, and talked about him all the time. She was thinking seriously about adoption, but she was concerned about how her dog might react to a cat in the home. So, when the Adoption Center team asked if they’d be interested in fostering him as he recovered from his hip surgery, they jumped at the opportunity! They knew that might just be the best way to gradually introduce Croissant to their dog, Minerva.

Croissant arrived at Kayla’s home as her foster, where he could comfortably recover from his surgeries.

First Steps With New Friends

When Croissant moved into Kayla and Ricardo’s home in January, their main challenge was getting him and Minerva to coexist peacefully in the same home. Minerva would eat Croissant's food every chance she could find, and they couldn’t put his food in a high place, because of his injuries. The solution that worked best was a special dish that only opens after scanning his microchip.

Croissant was also initially intimidated by Minerva, and he began to spend a lot of time under the couch in Kayla’s office.

“Whenever I walked into the room, he would pop his head out and chirp at me,” Kayla says. “But now he prefers to hang out on top of the couch and is becoming more confident about exploring the apartment.”

In February, as Croissant continued to recover from surgery, Kayla and Ricardo officially adopted him! Today, he still enjoys petting and cuddling, but he's also begun to show off his independence.

“The rakish side of his personality that I saw when I first photographed him has started to show through again,” Kayla says.

Croissant no longer needs to be on any pain medication, and he gets around without difficulty, though his front legs will always appear stiff due to his wrist surgery. He spends most of his time hanging out on the furry blankets on the office couch, or on a bench beneath the kitchen window, lying in the sun and watching trains go by outside. The window stays closed, of course!

“Sometimes he and Minerva will hang out in close proximity together,” Kayla says. “They don't yet love each other, but I still hope someday they will!”

Croissant and Minerva, sharing space together.

A Brand New Day

There are many cats in shelters across the country with stories similar to Croissant’s. Those that come from hoarding situations or overcrowded homes may be undersocialized and take longer to open up and show off their true colors in new environments. When these cats end up in shelters, they can exhibit high levels of fear, anxiety and stress, which can make their journey to finding a new home that much more challenging.

“These cats have experienced trauma or pain,” Sydney says, “and it takes them time — sometimes a long time — to trust again. Croissant is a special case, but few cats are as trusting and tolerable as he was under his circumstances. An adopter needs to be patient enough to gain a cat's trust over time, provide a safe space and love them as they are.”

Shelter cats are often overlooked when they have experienced injuries, or they are shy or fearful, but if potential adopters are willing to look past a cat's circumstances, they can open their hearts and homes to a cat who needs them the most.

“Love and patience can genuinely change an animal's whole world,” says Sydney.

When looking to adopt a cat, Kayla also suggests not ruling out those with special needs.

“Some disabilities or medical conditions might sound intimidating, but they can often be managed much more easily than you think,” Kayla says. “These cats can live happy, loving, comfortable lives, and they deserve to be given that chance.”

Kayla also suggests taking lifesaving precautionary measures, such as getting pet insurance and making sure your windows have secure screens.

Croissant’s little orange face is always a bright spot in Kayla and Ricardo’s days. Kayla works from home, and he has fully taken over her office! She doesn’t mind because she gets to hear him purring from across the room while she works.

“He's very distracting, and very cozy,” Kayla says. “I love him so much.”

This Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, we’re aiming to help over 300 cats & kittens find the loving homes they deserve! You can help us make a lifesaving difference for cats like Croissant by getting involved this summer through adoption, fostering, or by just spreading the word on your social media channels. Find out more at aspca.org/catmonth!