In November 2023, a small miracle happened at the Chico Cat Coalition.

Our boy Sam-I-Am was adopted.

After 5 long years at the shelter, his forever family brought him home. Since then, they’ve been inseparable, giving Sam the chance to decompress, destress, and have a new lease on life.

He also got something else: a brand new name for his brand new life.

Here’s the incredible story his family shared with us in December:

“This past Sunday marked 4 weeks of living with a miniature panther known as Sam I Am. However, it only took 2 weeks for him to earn his new name: Lucky Lefty Lorenzo. Why Lucky Lefty Lorenzo, you might ask? Well, you know there’s a story!

“‘Lucky’ because we’re so lucky to have found one another!!! On October 12th my kitten of 21 1/2 years crossed the rainbow bridge 🌈. She had been my best friend for exactly 20 years and I was devastated. I’m not sure why I chose to foster immediately afterward, but it was my saving grace. I knew that something amazing would come from taking a chance on a cat that had been at the shelter for almost 5 years. This panther kept me from spiraling into depression. 

“’Lefty’ because in the very early days of our relationship, when he was still decompressing, and so, still nipping, I would have to remind myself and my parents to pet him with the left (non-dominant) hand in case he nibbled at us. ‘Use your Left!’ I would yell. ‘Your left hand! LEEEEFT!!!!!’

“’Lorenzo’ as a shortened version of my Italian last name (Di Lorenzo) which is pretty mafioso. I’ve been saying from the beginning that he looks very regal, serious, and just a bit scary. He inherited that from my Sicilian family 😉.

“Some wonderful things I’ve discovered about Lefty….

  • He’s a lover 😻
  • He’s super curious and loves to explore 
  • He enjoys having his tummy rubbed when he streeeeeeetches out 😳
  • He doesn’t eat very much when he’s not so stressed (he’ll barely eat wet food)- he’s lost 0.6 lbs!
  • But he LOVES the puréed treats in the tube!!
  • He’s a lover 😻
  • He loves to snuggle in the evenings and will bury his muzzle in my tummy while making muffins and trilling
  • He doesn’t mind being held!!!
  • He gets MAD zoomies early in the mornings!
  • He can open doors with lever handles (so much for privacy in the home!)
  • He’s a lover 😻
  • He loves playing with plants so I got him live catnip and wheatgrass to safely munch on 
  • He’s kind of a bed hog! But I don’t mind 😊
  • He loves his basket filled with fluffy blankets 
  • He likes to play cards 🃏
  • He’s a lover 😻“