I realized that I had the chance to create a life filled with happiness and love for a creature who had known so much pain. –Joe L. of Brooklyn, NY.

Joe. L knew he wanted a cat not long after cat-sitting for a friend. Surprised by the manageable care and the rewarding feeling he felt afterwards, he decided to make the leap from cat admirer, to pet parent. That is how he came to find his newest family member, a very special cat named Saturn.

Saturn was a tough case when he arrived at the ASPCA Animal Hospital (AAH) last March. He was an injured stray, transferred from another shelter. When our team first assessed the two-year-old cat’s condition they discovered that both of Saturn’s front legs had been fractured in the past. Only his left leg had previous correction surgery, which was not holding up over time. The veterinary team worked quickly, and Saturn underwent surgery to help fix both legs. The surgical team removed a plate from his left leg and worked to correct his right, so that both would heal properly. It was going to take some time and a lot of TLC, but Saturn would soon make a full recovery. 

For the next few months, Saturn remained resilient. He recovered with fosters so that he had the time and comfort he needed to heal and rehabilitate. With the help of the veterinary team and his fosters, Saturn made a full, happy recovery and had no trouble with walking. By July, the sweet cat was on all four feet and was finally ready to be placed in the ASPCA Adoption Center to begin his search for the perfect home.  

Fortunately for Saturn, his perfect adopter was just around the corner. After about a month in the Adoption Center, Joe met the affectionate cat. “I sat beside Saturn's pen to say hello. He walked out of his pen, sat on my lap, and began to purr. He was so loving,” Joe says of their first meeting. “When we spoke to the vet, she told me that he'd broken both of his legs in the past.” Joe tells us, that in that moment he knew he had an opportunity to give love to a creature who had previously endured so much. He knew he could give Saturn a second chance, and a new chapter in his life. 

After taking Saturn home, Joe renamed him Pie. According to Joe, Pie loves his new home and his adjustment was quick and easy. “He spends his time napping in front of windows, chasing around his various toys, hiding in paper bags and snuggling.”

Pie’s turnaround from scared stray to a loving, trusting pet is truly remarkable. The road for Pie may not have always been an easy one, but it lead him to the perfect home. With his dark days far behind him, Pie can now focus on his new life and new home full of love and happiness.