Wednesday, June 25, 2014 - 9:30am
The King has found his castle.
King, the one-year-old male feline who survived a vicious kick in Brooklyn, was adopted by Chris Scordo of Manhattan, who by chance saw a recent story about him in theDaily News.
“I went to a diner for breakfast [June 8] and someone had left their Daily News behind,” explains Chris. “In the paper was a photo of this really handsome cat. I remembered seeing the earlier headline about him and thought the paper had been sitting around for a long time. I was sure the adoption was over. Then I saw the [paper’s publication] date and headed to the ASPCA.”
King, who suffered tissue injuries and bruising, was brought to the ASPCA’s Animal Hospital on May 7 by NYPD officers after being located and trapped by representatives of various animal welfare organizations, including the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.
Chris, whose 20-year-old calico named Chandler had died six weeks earlier from cancer, had thought about getting another cat.
“I didn’t think I could replace her so soon, but I had a feeling when I saw King’s photograph,” he says. “He has a very expressive face—very bright-eyed. I liked him before I even met him.”
To Chris’ surprise, he was the first to arrive at the ASPCA and get the chance to interact with King. He met with Adi Hovav, a feline behavior counselor, who green-lighted the adoption after speaking at length with the life-long animal lover who has a soft spot for felines.
“I stayed up the whole night that first night—King needs a lot of engagement!” exclaims Chris, who works in the IT field, and often from home. “He acclimated right away after hiding for only an hour or so, and has been playing and exploring ever since. He’s a fun cat—and a bit of a tough guy. I suppose that’s how he survived.”
After first hearing King’s story, Chris was reluctant to watch the disturbing video (which immediately went viral) of King’s abuse, but did so after adopting him. “I felt like I had to witness what happened, he says. “That guy not only betrayed King’s trust, but what bothered me even more was that people were laughing. They should be held accountable, too.”
Despite his ordeal, King remains trusting and positive—“a real New Yorker,” according to Chris. King has taken to being held and is becoming more affectionate. “He was startled at first, but he now lets me hold him for short amounts of time,” Chris reports. The feisty feline also loves munching meatballs. “Maybe he’s part Italian?” Chris jokes.
As for King’s name, Chris says he thought about changing it to ‘Milo,’ “after the Greek strongman, or something macho. But he was already a minor celebrity, and I didn’t want to take that away from him.”
“I hope something good comes of this; maybe King can be a symbol of peace,” Chris adds. “I’ve seen the cruelty people can inflict on animals and I know he, like me, would want the laws stiffened.”
Chris promises to give King the best life he can. “I was amazed at how many people were involved in finding him and caring for him,” he says. “He’ll never suffer again. He’ll have a heated bed in the winter, the best food and medical care, all the toys he wants, and plenty of love and affection.”
In other words, a life fit for a king.
The original incident:
King the cat recovers after being kicked 20 feet by Brooklyn man
The 1-year-old cat is currently recovering at the ASPCA Animal Hospital after surviving a brutal kick in the stomach by a 21-year-old Brooklyn man. The ASPCA says King is not yet ready for adoption.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Friday, May 9, 2014, 7:46 PM
Updated: Friday, May 9, 2014, 7:46 PM
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STACEY AXELROD/ASPCAKing is currently recovering at the ASPCA Animal Hospital and will continue to receive treatment and close monitoring as he heals.
King the survivor cat hasn’t lost his kick.
The gray cat who was mercilessly punted 20 feet by a perverse punk has landed on his feet and is healing well, his rescuers said Friday.
“King is currently recovering at the ASPCA Animal Hospital and will continue to receive treatment and close monitoring as he heals,” the ASPCA said in a statement.
“It is still too soon to discuss a timeline for King’s adoptability,” the group said.
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The 1-year-old gray cat was brutally kicked in the stomach May 2 by 21-year-old Andre Robinson outside the Brevoort Houses in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
Robinson laughed and danced after the vicious assault, which was captured on video by his friends, who can also be heard laughing about his cruel stunt.
When the video was posted on Facebook, animal lovers pounced.
Their sleuthing helped the NYPD find Robinson, who was arrested May 5 and charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
King was rescued the following day by a determined coalition of cops and animal rights groups.
His newfound fame has folks clamoring to give him a good home — but the cat’s not ready to come out of the bag just yet, the ASPCA said.
“We appreciate the strong public outpouring of interest in (King’s) case, and hope it raises awareness of both wanton animal cruelty and the vulnerability of homeless animals,” the ASPCA said.
“Right now, the best way people can help cats like King is to visit the ASPCA Adoption Center — or any local shelter — and meet homeless animals equally deserving of loving families."
From the Gothamist:
Cops Arrest Brooklyn Man For Kicking Poor Kitten In Distressing Video
A 21-year-old sociopath-in-training was arrested yesterday for kicking a kitten. And the police caught up with him because the video—which shows Andre Robinson grinning like a tough guy (and his friends laughing hysterically)—was posted on Facebook.
Last Friday, the footage was posted on On The Real, with the message, "This is NEVER okay to do. Please share; hopefully somebody will recognize this fool."
The video shows Robinson kicking the cat very hard; "According to the arrest report, the cat flew about 20 feet — and a veterinarian confirmed to cops the brutal blow likely caused serious injury," per the Daily News. It's unclear where the cat is now, but police are looking for it.
A police source told the Post, “People who saw (the video) were really disturbed by it.” Robinson was charged with aggravated animal cruelty.
However, Robinson's mother insisted he was not a bad person, "He had to be high on something. It’s very out of his character. He had to be high to do what he did. This isn’t him... He loves animals. He loved his cats, he had dogs, he always loved them."
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