In February, a black-and-white cat was found dangling from a fence, her paw wedged tightly between wooden slats. Local police quickly contacted Frankie Floridia, a veteran animal rescuer and president of Strong Island Animal Rescue League. Floridia had seen situations like this before—and he feared the worst.
“Depending on how long they hang on the fence, sometimes it severs the ligaments … and then the arm has to be amputated,” Floridia told The Dodo.
By the time he arrived, officers had already freed the cat, but she was clearly in distress. They had placed her gently inside an overturned hockey net for safety and noticed she was struggling to walk. Floridia carefully transferred her into a carrier and rushed her to Long Island Spay and Neuter for X-rays.
Amputation is a challenge many rescue groups aren’t equipped to handle, but Floridia wasn’t ready to give up on her. Fortunately, the X-rays showed no fractures—just a sprain. The veterinary team treated her with anti-inflammatories, gave her antibiotics, and updated her vaccinations. What could have been a tragic ending instead became a turning point.
That night, Lori Ressa spotted a post about the rescue on Strong Island Animal Rescue League’s Facebook page.
“That looks like a cat we feed,” she commented, referring to one of the feral cats in her neighborhood. She was right. The cat’s name was Christina—and not only had Ressa been feeding her, she had also helped trap, neuter, and return (TNR) Christina’s entire colony years earlier. Even more remarkably, eight years before, Ressa had adopted two of Christina’s kittens.
Following the incident, Christina went home with Ressa to recover—and ended up staying for good. Ressa fell in love with her all over again.
“She’s been doing great,” Floridia shared. “No more going out or anything like that. So, she’s an indoor cat now—living the life.”