How lucky can a cat get?

By Darren Brown, News9.com Insite team

STILLWATER, Okla. --Life isn't always easy if you're a cat.  Especially if you're a cat that was abandoned at birth.  Especially if you're a cat abandoned at birth that needs major surgery.  You might remember it was about two months ago that we introduced you to little Xavier the kitten, who braved surgery at only 7-weeks-old.

Torie Garnatz, a registered veterinary technician, was working the small animal ICU unit that night.  "When I first came in, the technician that was before me, when she was rounding me on him, she said watch him really closely, because if any one of these are gonna go, it's gonna be him tonight."

Garnatz said she wasn't looking for another pet when she went to work that night.  She already had two at home.  But she felt a strong bond with her young patient.  " He came in after his surgery and I was taking care of him all night--so I just gradually kinda fell in love with him after taking care of him for so many weeks," Garnatz said.

But Garnatz figured she'd have to say goodbye to Xavier fairly soon.  Surely the little guy had a family.  "The veterinarian who brought him in, it was under her name so I thought she was taking him.  And then they're like, 'Oh, he's up for adoption.'   But then I thought, well, if he's on the news, I wonder how many people's already asked for him. Is it even worth a shot?"

But as fate would have it, Torie was picked to be Xavier's new mother. He's already gotten friendly with his feline brother Diego, and his brother of the canine sort Lucius.

Garnatz says Xavier's not on any special medications, but she plans on keeping a close eye on him nonetheless.  

After all, he's already used up at least a couple of those nine lives.

To watch Xavier's story from the beginning, click here.