A stray cat showed up on a windowsill one day and was ready to leave street life behind.

An orange cat befriended a young girl when he showed up outside her home in Brooklyn, New York. She began feeding the friendly stray and he just kept coming back.

When the cat returned late last month, with an injury, he hopped onto the windowsill, crying for help. The young girl and her family were able to rescue him and take him to Little Wanderers NYC, so he could receive the medical attention he needed.

“Little Wanderers does not turn a blind eye to friendly cats on the street. Carlton (the orange cat) was sick and had a huge cut behind his ear that required sutures,” Little Wanderers NYC shared.

Despite what he had endured from life on the streets, Carlton was sweet and mellow like a teddy bear. He was estimated to be at least five years old and tested positive for FIV, which doesn’t stop him from living a full life.

Carianne, an experienced fosterer from Staten Island, New York saw Carlton’s story through social media and offered to help. “All the rescues right now are overflowing with cats and kittens due to kitten season and also the overblown population spilling over from last year,” Carianne told Love Meow.

When Carlton arrived at his foster home, he was a bit wary of the new environment but quickly found reassurance from his human friends. He was a bit rough around the edges, but a gentle soul with a huge heart.

He is so pleased to be catered to, and happy that he will never have to worry about food and shelter or fend for himself in the outdoors.

“A lot of his hair was matted and the ear wound needed a cleaning around the sutures. He is missing many teeth but loved any food I gave him. It was easy to gain his trust because he really does love people. He is so mushy,” Carianne told Love Meow.

The tabby instantly melts into his humans’ arms when he is cuddled. He enjoys being in the company of his people and completely immersed in their love.