Penn. Officer Adopts Kitten He Saved From Kids Who Were 'Playing Catch' with the Tiny Cat

Officer Martin of the City of Erie Police Department helped the cat after responding to a report about kids "playing catch with a kitten on a sidewalk"

An officer who saved a kitten became the cat's hero again by finding the pet a home.

Officer Martin, an officer with the City of Erie Police Department, recently responded to a report about children "playing catch with a kitten" and "recovered" the animal after finding the kids "tossing the kitten back and forth," the ANNA Shelter in Erie, Penn., shared on social media on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The officer brought the kitten to the shelter's veterinarian, who assessed the feline's condition. The veterinarian determined that the animal "had no broken bones but was in shock" and was "suffering from an upper respiratory infection," the animal shelter said.

The kitten — nicknamed Oreo due to his fur colors — received medication and "lots of TLC" at the ANNA Shelter, where he was nursed back to health. Officer Martin ensured Oreo didn't face recovery alone. The officer "stopped in a few times to check" on the cat as the animal healed.

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Officer Martin's attachment to the kitten proved undeniably strong, so he adopted Oreo. The animal shelter announced the good news on Facebook on Saturday, Aug. 31.

"He decided to officially become Oreo's dad AND hero! He is fostering to adopt this kitten that he truly saved from death!" the ANNA Shelter shared on Facebook, alongside photos of the duo.

"We thank him and all of our animal-loving officers who keep us and the animals safe every day!" the shelter continued. "Oreo will grow up safe and happy, thanks to Officer Martin!"

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In one photo the shelter shared, Officer Martin holds the little kitten in his arms and smiles at the camera. Another shot shows the kitten with blue eyes, black ears, and a white nose and whiskers, reaching out his paw to touch someone's hand.

A final snap shows Oreo, wrapped in blankets, napping peacefully in what appears to be the lap of one of the ANNA Shelter's employees.

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The post garnered over 3,000 reactions within a day and over 500 comments, with many praising the officer for taking the tiny creature into his home.

"THANK YOU OFFICER MARTIN AND TEAM ANNA!!!!," one person commented in response to the post. "It is absolutely unimaginable to me that anyone would think it was okay to 'play catch' with a living thing, but I am so happy to hear there was a positive outcome! Thank you for your big hearts and all that you do!"

Another shared, "Oh, thank you for rescuing this kitty twice. Once for saving his life and twice for giving him a home," while someone else wrote, "Love that he adopted him. True hero."

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