This furry New Yorker is an ex-stray, who loved to hang out around one particular building in Far Rockaway, Queens, where his special friend, a young girl, lived with her mom.

Every day, he would wait in front of the building, eagerly anticipating the moment the girl would come out to find him.

She and her mom would bring him food and affectionately scratch his head, showering him with the love he so desperately craved.

Luciano loved the attention he received, especially from the little girl, who quickly became his beacon of hope that someday his street life might come to an end.

Heartbroken by his condition but unable to take him in, the girl and her mom turned to the Internet, hoping to find Luciano a forever home with someone who would love him as much as they did.

Their Facebook post quickly caught the attention of Gissell, the founder of Paws of Hope NYC, who wasted no time in contacting the family and coming to Luciano’s rescue.

Given his friendly nature, Gissell suspected that he had once been part of a family that sadly abandoned him, leaving him to fend for himself on the harsh streets of New York.

Concerned about the growing crisis, she expressed her worries in an Instagram post:

“The cat crisis has reached critical levels, with cat abandonment rates soaring to an all-time high. This heartbreaking trend leaves countless innocent animals like Luciano vulnerable, relying solely on the decisions of their owners.”

Reflecting on the impact of the little girl’s friendship on Luciano, she added:

“Despite facing the harsh realities of life on the streets, his bond with the little girl became his saving grace. Her love, empathy, and compassion showed him that there is goodness in the world and that he is deserving of care and affection.”

Though it was difficult for the little girl to part ways with Luciano, who was on his way to the shelter with Gissell, she knew it was for the best.

At the shelter, Luciano demonstrated just how remarkable he was. He was friendly, playful, and affectionate – purrfect qualities for a foster candidate!

Gisselle soon matched him with one of their great foster moms (fostercatmama213) in whose home he got to enjoy all the perks of a lavish indoor life.

With an entire home just for himself, Luciano could do whatever he wanted – from zooming around, exploring every corner, playing with his toy alpaca, to gazing out the window, reflecting on his old street ways.

Despite living outdoors for an unknown length of time, Luciano was generally healthy, with no serious issues – well, apart from what Gissell referred to as his ‘out-of-the-litter-box antics.’ 

However, she worked diligently to address this behavior, providing Luciano with the necessary support.

“Despite this challenge, he remains the epitome of health, happiness, and affection, embodying the perfect lap kitty.”

Luciano’s stay at his lovely foster home was brief, as a fellow cat enthusiast recently expressed a desire to adopt him.

And just like that, Luciano found his forever home – all thanks to a little girl who showed him love when he needed it the most!

I hope you enjoyed Luciano’s story as much as I did. For more adorable felines and inspiring rescue tales, make sure you visit Paws of Hope NYC on Instagram.