Adopting my cat absolutely changed my life — and it changed his life too. He was a few years old, a slightly dull gray, and weirdly open to a stranger's pets. I was hoping for an occasional snuggle buddy, what I got was an obsessed best friend. And after years of love and good food, Paul looks like a completely different cat. That's what love does; it transforms!
I know I'm not alone, which is why I scoured the good old pages of the subreddit /BeforeNAfterAdoption to demonstrate how much a warm, loving home can turn around a kitty's life. Check out these 15 cats before and after adoption.
1. Kira
![before and after adoption - cat 1](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/a9otcOm7qA6be1PLIcvax/1aafeea0d5a4d7ebe9e57abf1e4fdee6/1.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Kira was founded almost dead of starvation in a farm with cows. She was healthy in one week and we kept her. Summer 2018."
Credit: u/saludete
2. Phoenix
![before and after adoption - cat 2](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/5gx6ZheTj8bDTUMy4VNJr7/7b13427dc8b8fdf3372d723ab9b7bdb1/2.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Phoenix was rescued from the streets and was covered in hot tar. Little over a month later, he looks amazing, he loves humans and is ready to enter a loving home 🥰"
Credit: u/arvindred1
3. Midnight
![before and after adoption - cat 3](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/5ZxHXn6klz6vx2GnDyuSHi/1bdbae8d723be409461236f5f01df9ae/3.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"The pictures were taken about two weeks apart. She went to the vet every two weeks for treatments so I decided to document it that way. She has become such a loving and sweet girl!"
Credit: u/chickinkyiv
4. Jake
![before and after adoption - cat 4](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/4nuxr6GAJcvPujAPHyoKCZ/831ece2e88e994abc86bd6686840a356/4.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"One year ago, Jake was found underneath a car, alone and half frozen. He was 4 weeks old and his mom was gone. Now he's the biggest kitty with the most personality that I've ever met."
Credit: u/[deleted]
5. Sonny
![before and after adoption - cat 5](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/5jaIih5t6AqrjRfFvBHqQd/f16e2fdbfe036087371a48d95ad3ae48/5.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"2 years ago today I walked into a Petsmart and met a cat named Sonny who no one would adopt because he was 13 years old, covered in fleas, underweight, and had a mouth full of rotten teeth that had to be removed. He came home with me that night and it was the best decision I’ve ever made."
Credit: u/verrattishmurda
6. Moss
![cat adoption - 6](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/30Ln4jVZ1MMrJWyTuWD4DJ/511d8f2f003be05f73438321005aa0bc/6.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"This is Moss. She ran in front of my car on the highway one month ago. Lots of love, care and play later, she has stolen our hearts."
Credit: u/boilerine
7. Snowball
![cat adoption - 7](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/3TNbFufSAZ9GaVrPbfX6aG/fac14b6bd24178b914959f64016425ed/7.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"After about a year and a half after showing up on our porch, Snowball has improved immeasurably. She’s my perfect angel."
Credit: u/webchanne
8. Stacy
![cat adoption - 8](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/sQEv7WZRJIsSwhxwxH7QT/f2c047f35e989c457c51afbf9718172b/8.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Found this little lady crying in a parking lot with fleas and a badly broken leg. Here she is 3 months and 2 surgeries later."
Credit: u/skele_jeans
9. Cousteau
![cat adoption - 9](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/2efYahb6rHrs3Ji8um2edL/e11d82c16474c46f46264ce422ae51af/9.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Our sweet Cousteau! From a scrawny street kitty in New Orleans to a prince living in Paris ♥️"
Credit: u/sn0wb0und
10. Drippy
![cat adoption - 10](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/1LZqj5hLvFAhBdC8lXZrXS/c0b0c3bc5ec15eea497079f235ccda0d/10.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Thankfully, nothing was majorly wrong with her! She is one in a litter of outdoor kittens who were malnourished when I found them, to the point that they couldn't even meow, and she had an upper respiratory infection when I took her in. I got her through a round of antibiotics and regular face/eye cleanings, and now she's right as rain."
Credit: u/theknittywit
11. BenBen
![cat adoption - 11](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/7oixZjAPsSHzizkJYYWS4O/8cfa3efaab8432133c0a4a7af4387e44/11.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"This is BenBen. Before/After death row."
Credit: u/benbencatcat
12. Roadrunner
![cat adoption - 12](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/4utaZu2Ay9IeWHmCEpHbxj/09fb0706d9488c87558773c302bf5903/12.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"We think he got stuck in a car engine or was hit by a car. :-( He was brought to the shelter like that. The wounds looked like burns - either road burn or from an engine was the vet’s guess."
Credit: u/sydhasmybike
13. Ciri
![cat adoption - 13](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/4QBDxyRBZqYxE6apoyKs0W/3faeb5bdc98aa7851466a6a2c7cd2949/13.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"Two months ago a box full of severely malnourished kittens was left at the vets, unfortunately only one of them was still alive but she was only just hanging on. With a ton of hard work and love, little Ciri is now a perfectly healthy kitten who loves to play and explore."
Credit: u/reece_93
14. Harry
![cat adoption - 14](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/7fJb9azmlefVzxqEddjz1B/45c4023586ad550b66d2c89414deb9d8/14.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"From feral to friend (Harry’s story). Last January, we received word that there a was a feral cat found with a terrible head wound. He was on death’s doorstep. We took him in to recover and 8 months later he won’t leave our side."
Credit: u/higgsthecat
15. Gus Gus
![cat adoption - 15](https://images.ctfassets.net/7ybtdzdgha5d/3hXgX3vqzKkGPynOOFZ6B9/564399b75483687baf05601be8d6b79b/15.png?w=725&h=365&q=65&fm=png)
"We picked him and his two sisters up from our local animal control. He didn’t originally come into the shelter that way but after being there a few weeks I guess being in a room with a bunch of other cats he got an extremely bad case of conjunctivitis along with an upper respiratory infection. Unfortunately he also had a little brother who did not make it:("
Credit: u/allthecatzzz