On? ??y, wh?n Elysi? C?ris w?s on h?r w?y hom? from work in N?w York City, sh? h??r? ? f?int m?ow. Aft?r ? f?w mom?nt of s??rching, sh? s????nly spott?? ? p?w protr??ing from ? sm?ll cr?vic? ??n??th ? f?nc?. Wh?n sh? kn?lt ?own to h?v? ? ??tt?r look, sh? ?iscov?r?? ? c?t tr?pp?? in th? cr?wl ?r??, fr??zing ?n? filthy.

C?ris co?l?n’t r??ch in ?n? p?ll th? c?t, s??s?q??ntly c?ll?? Ying, o?t of th? confin?? spot h? h?? fo?n? hims?lf in, so sh? w?nt to ? n?igh?oring ??li, ?o?ght ? c?n of c?t foo?, ?n? tri?? to ?ntic? him o?t with it.

Accor?ing to n?igh?ors, Ying h?? ???n in th? cr?wl sp?c? for w??ks ?t th?t point, ?n? s??m?? to h?v? no ??sir? to com? o?t, ?v?n tho?gh h? cl??rly n????? h?lp. Ev?n with th? promis? of foo?, Ying w?s still too sc?r?? to v?nt?r? o?t of his tiny sp?c? to g?t som?.

“H? pok?? his h??? o?t ?n? c?m? o?t j?st ? tiny ?it, ??t wo?l? ??rt ??ck in if ? c?r p?ss?? or if I got too clos?,” C?ris tol?. “I st?y?? for ??o?t ?n ho?r trying to g?t him o?t of th?r? ??for? I got too col? ?n? h?? to go in. I ?i?n’t w?nt to l??v? him, tho?gh.”

D?sp?r?t? to h?lp him, C?ris p?sh?? th? c?n of foo? into th? cr?wl sp?c?, hoping Ying wo?l? ?t l??st ?? ??l? to ??t ?n? r?g?in his str?ngth ? littl? ?it. Sh? th?n h????? hom?, ??t co?l?n’t stop thinking ??o?t th? poor c?t ?ll night, ?n? kn?w sh? h?? to contin?? to try ?n? h?lp him.

“I f?lt lik? h? w?s ?lr???y my c?t,” C?ris s?i?. “I j?st co?l?n’t l??v? him th?r?. It m?k?s m? s?? ?nvisioning him in th?t col? sp?c? for ?s long ?s h? h?? ???n.”

Th? n?xt morning, C?ris w?nt ??ck to th? spot wh?r? Ying h?? ???n hi?ing — ?n? w?s ??light?? to ?iscov?r th?t h? w?s still th?r?. Sh? c?m? ?p with ? n?w pl?n, ?n? ??ci??? th?t this tim?, sh? wo?l? r?f?s? to giv? ?p ?ntil h? w?s s?f? ?n? so?n? in h?r ?rms.

To g?t him o?t of th? g?p, C?ris st?t??, “I onc? mor? gr????? ? c?n of foo? ?n? this tim? po?r?? som? on my h?n?s. H? st?rt?? ??ting off my h?n?s ?s h? ?r?w n??r?r. H? ?v?nt??lly wriggl?? ?ll th? w?y o?t, ?n? I pick?? him ?p ?n? c?rri?? him insi??.

Ying m?ow?? in prot?st wh?n C?ris took him insi?? ?t first ??c??s? h? w?s t?rrifi??, ??t soon h? c?lm?? ?own ?n? st?rt?? p?rring sinc? h? r??liz?? h? w?s fin?lly s?c?r?. Aft?r Ying h?? sp?nt som? tim? inv?stig?ting his n?w hom? onc? th?y w?r? insi??, C?ris pl?c?? him on th? floor in front of th? w?rmth. Exh??st?? from his or???l ?n? r?li?v?? to fin?lly ?? w?rm ?n? comfort??l?, h? c?rl?? ?p in front of th? h??t?r.

Ying h?? sp?nt w??ks living in th? cr?wl ?r??, ??t wh?n C?ris took him to th? v?t, sh? w?s h?ppy to s?? th?t h? w?s still in in ?xc?ll?nt con?ition. Oth?r th?n ticks ?n? ? lot of ?irt in his ??rs, h? h?? no signific?nt m??ic?l con?itions. Aft?r th? v?t?rin?ri?n h?? cl??n?? him ?p ?n? giv?n him his shots, C?ris took th? ?og hom? onc? mor?, this tim? with th? knowl??g? th?t h? wo?l? ?? st?ying.

Ying is now o?s?ss?? with his n?w mom, ?n? C?ris co?l?n’t ?? h?ppi?r with h?r ??cision to ??opt him. Sh? r?f?s?? to giv? ?p on him, ?n? now th? littl? c?t h?s th? ??st n?w hom?, ?n? c?n’t stop showing his mom j?st how gr?t?f?l h? is.

“H? circl?s ?ro?n? m? if I’m sitting ?own ?n? r??s ?g?inst my l?gs wh?n h? w?nts to ?? pick?? ?p,” C?ris s?i?. “H?’s ???n ?y my si?? ?v?r sinc? I took him in. I f??l lik? h?’s ??opt?? m? in ? w?y!”