On a cold December morning in Yonkers, New York, a woman ventured outside with her dog for a short stroll. Her attention was caught by a puzzling cardboard box on her street, which piqued her interest. While she hadn’t intended to stay outside for long, her instinct prompted her to investigate. As her dog approached the box to sniff around, there was movement inside. Lisa Winters, Little Wanderers NYC Director, explained that the woman felt compelled to take a closer look and opened the box to find an enchanting orange cat staring back at her.
Winters shared that the cat was in a state of fear, but the woman who found him acted immediately and took him to a nearby veterinary hospital. She wasn’t sure how long he had been outside, but she knew he needed urgent care. Upon reaching the hospital, the veterinary team was taken aback by how quickly the cat became comfortable around them.
According to Winters, the friendly cat snuggled up immediately and seemed grateful to be out of the cold despite being a bit scared. The veterinary team conducted tests to ensure that the cat was as healthy as he appeared, and they were pleased to learn that everything looked alright. Although x-rays revealed that the cat had sustained a previous leg injury that hadn’t healed properly, there wasn’t much that could be done to fix it. Despite this, the cat was generally in excellent condition. As a result, the veterinary team contacted Little Wanderers NYC to aid in locating a loving home for him.
Little Wanderers quickly became Elf’s caretaker and affectionately named him. They worked tirelessly to find him a loving and permanent family. Elf showed the same amount of love and affection towards his new friends at Little Wanderers as he did with his vet team, leading them to believe that he may have had a family in the past. Although the circumstances surrounding Elf’s abandonment in a box are unknown, Little Wanderers founder Winters believes that it is not fair to judge. She acknowledges that veterinary care is often unaffordable and inaccessible for many people, leaving them with no choice but to make difficult decisions.
Winters prioritizes the safety of Elf above everything else. Little Wanderers’ mission is not only to find loving homes for cats like Elf but also to educate people about responsible pet ownership and offer easy access to veterinary services. Elf was fortunate enough to find his forever home quickly after being taken into Little Wanderers’ care. His new guardians, Miri and Eliezer, were smitten with him right away. Winters describes them as a wonderful couple who are excited to pamper Elf.
The family of Elf decided to give him a new name, Sunkist, inspired by the color of his fur that resembles the popular orange soda. These days, Sunkist enjoys spending his time playing with his beloved toys and snuggling up with his family. He no longer has to worry about his past when he was left on a crowded street corner in a cardboard box.
