Three-legged kitten with a whole lotta heart

Whenever Sara Scully catches a glimpse of her tuxedo kitten, her heart swells because that’s her boo. Not only is the kitty’s name Boo, but she truly is Sara’s shadow, sidekick, and best friend. When the two first met, their connection was instant. However, little Boo had a lot to overcome before that love-at-first-sight moment.

Boo arrived at the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Salt Lake City when she was just a few weeks old. She’d come from a nearby shelter, where she’d arrived all alone and in rough shape. The tiny tuxie was dehydrated and had a badly injured back leg and a wound on her face. She likely experienced a serious fall or some other kind of trauma.

[Three-legged cat is full of surprises]

With her injuries, Boo is a pet who could have easily been at risk of being killed in a shelter, especially if that shelter were already full and struggling to save healthy dogs and cats. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means giving each pet what they need to move out of the shelter and into a happy home.

Despite her injuries, Boo marched (well, wobbled) around the vet clinic like a tiny, brave explorer. Best Friends veterinarian Dr. Megan McCarthy determined that removing the leg was the best option for Boo.

“In kittens like this, they do really well with an amputation rather than trying to go in and fix all of those injuries,” says Dr. Megan. “They just have a better outcome.” Sure enough, Boo sailed through surgery without issue.

[It’s a wonderful life for this three-legged kitten]

With her back leg removed and face fixed up, Boo headed to a foster home where she could rest and recover. After two weeks of limited activity, she hit the ground running (on three legs). With a fellow black cat in the home to show her the ropes, Boo grew into a playful, affectionate, and very chatty kitten.

Fully healed from surgery, Boo was about to meet someone special back at the lifesaving center. Sara locked eyes with the black-and-white kitten and knew it was meant to be. She adopted her on the spot. To make things even better, Boo went home with a built-in buddy: an orange kitten about the same age named Puck.

These days, if Boo’s not grooming or playing with Puck, she’s probably snuggling with Sara, looking up at her with big, adoring eyes that say, “You’re my boo.”

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.