In September 2024, at the request of the Humane Society of Lackawanna County and with support from local law enforcement, we assisted with the removal of over 100 cats from a self-described animal rescue organization in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. It was there that we met String Bean, a one-eyed, 8-year-old cat.

“The duplex home had cats separated into multiple areas,” explained Marny Nofi, the ASPCA’s director of feline behavior, who was on scene that day. “String Bean shared a space with around 30 cats. Litter boxes were present, but feces on the ground demonstrated it was an inadequate number for that many cats. Some of the cats were fearful and hid from people. Others craved human attention, which may have been a result of having limited human contact due to no one living in the home with them.”

String Bean at the property in Pennsylvania.

Many of the cats also appeared to be suffering from untreated medical conditions, including String Bean.

To receive the care he needed and to eventually find a loving home, String Bean, along with most of the other cats, were transported to the ASPCA Cruelty Recovery Center (CRC) in Columbus, Ohio.

Meeting His Purrson

Luckily for String Bean, before he even arrived at the CRC, he had someone special looking out for him. Adam Whisman, a manager of care and enrichment at the CRC and self-proclaimed “cat person,” caught wind that a likely blind, orange cat would be coming in and immediately got excited. Adam asked for identification information so he could find String Bean after his arrival to the CRC.

“The day the cats arrived, I went to String Bean’s kennel and met him, and I was like, ‘I’m obsessed with you,’” remembered Adam. “What I noticed about him was his kennel presence. He was just kind of sitting, staring at me — he had limited or no vision so I guess he was just staring off into the world — very calm and quiet while all the other cats in his pod were being very loud. I walked up to his kennel and he started rubbing up against the bars and purring. I then took him to my office and got to know him a little bit more.”

While in his office, String Bean cuddled up in Adam’s lap, started purring and fell asleep.

“I couldn’t get up and move this cat because he was so peaceful and comfortable,” said Adam. “I knew I wanted to take him home just to see how he would get along with my other cats, so I asked if I could foster him for a little while.”

It was a match made in heaven, because as it turned out, String Bean needed a dedicated foster like Adam to help him through his medical recovery.

“String Bean had severe abnormalities of both eyes and was painful to the touch,” explained Dr. Allison Shull, a veterinarian at the CRC. “He was nearly blind, had painful dental disease and his ears were infected. Pain medications were immediately started for his comfort and his ear infections were treated.”

Surgery would need to be performed to remove both of his eyes to restore his comfort, and he would need ten diseased teeth extracted.

“I love senior cats, I think they deserve the world, and I also really like cats with either medical conditions or medical concerns,” said Adam, who already had two cats at home, a 10-year-old male polydactyl cat named Gabe Jones and 4-year-old Shawty, who is 90% blind. “Seeing that String Bean needed his eyes removed, I was like ‘Yup! I think you should come to my house, and we can treat you through recovery and get you ready for your adoptive home.’ Which ended up being my home!”

Struggles After Surgery

Before String Bean’s surgery, Adam had to help him get settled into his home. Thankfully, String Bean acclimated very well.

“String Bean was very comfortable in my home, very relaxed, and he didn’t seem stressed at all,” Adam told us. “He climbed on my couch within the first 10 minutes of being there and took a nap with my other cat Gabe. They became best friends very quickly. He and Gabe would walk around my house together and within the first week would spend all their time together. He [String Bean] got along well with my other cat, Shawty, as well. He just settled in and became part of the family very quickly and very comfortably.”

String Bean in Adam’s home before surgery.

But unfortunately, after String Bean’s surgery, his recovery proved to be difficult for him, and he had to settle into his new routine while he healed in Adam’s home.

“He was very stressed,” remembered Adam. “He really struggled having to wear a cone, having sutures in his face and having to take medication (which is his least favorite thing). He was confined to my bathroom for the first couple of days, which was really hard for him because he could hear the other cats and wanted to play. But after a few days, he calmed down a lot. Once he was able to play with the other cats, he was much happier and did a lot better toward the end of the recovery.”

Despite being uncomfortable at the start, String Bean was the “perfect patient.”

“He looked forward to petting and attention, even when treating his ears or removing his sutures,” said Dr. Shull.

Throughout his medical journey, String Bean stole Adam, Gabe Jones and Shawty’s hearts, so Adam decided to officially adopt him.

“Any time that I foster, I usually do so with the intent to adopt,” explained Adam. “String Bean really fit in with my family of cats already, so I decided to adopt him about a week after taking him home.”

Exploring His New World

With his eyes fully healed and officially a member of the family, String Bean was soon back to being his normal self, playing with his new best friend Gabe Jones, napping with Shawty and exploring the world as a blind cat.

“He runs around the house with Gabe, wrestling and playing all the time,” said Adam. “String Bean loves to explore my house and find new places he can squeeze himself into. He’s very adventurous and likes to explore. He tries to go outside when I’m taking out the trash or when Shawty and Gabe come out with me — but I don’t trust String Bean yet going outside.”

Left, String Bean and Gabe Jones exploring the home. Right, String Bean, Shawty and Gabe Jones eating together.

String Bean is so comfortable in his new home that Adam has started to pick up on his silly quirks!

“After he uses the litter box, he walks out in front of it and just starts yelling and I think it’s to tell me that he’s gone to the bathroom,” explained Adam. “So, he’ll just yell, and I have to call ‘Hey Bean, I’m over here!’ And he’ll come over and start rubbing on my lap.”

Discovering String Bean’s quirks and learning more about his personality is one of Adam’s favorite things about adopting a senior cat.

“The thing about senior cats is that they’ve already had a life before you but they’re continuing their life and they’re building more memories and a future with you,” said Adam. “They have lot of knowledge, they been around the world depending on their story, so you get to learn a lot from them. They’re already have a well-developed personality that you get to learn about and work with.”

Not only has Adam enjoyed getting to know everything about String Bean, he’s also loved helping String Bean recover and blossom into the kitty he was always meant to be.

“The best thing about medically inclined cats is that you can help them through recovery or illness or whatever they’re going through and get them to a happy life. It’s really worth it in the end, just getting to see them go from point A to point B and being the happy little cat they want to be.”

It’s not just Adam who’s enjoyed watching String Bean thrive! Having been one of the first cats from his case to leave the CRC and find a loving home, many of the staff check up on String Bean often.

“He’s a fan favorite at the CRC. Everyone always asks about him and wants pictures and updates on him,” said Adam. “Whenever he comes to visit the office there’s a crowd of people around him.”

String Bean has come a long way from the cat he used to be, now thriving in a loving home with two cat siblings and a doting adopter. But it isn’t just String Beans’ life that’s changed. Since adopting his latest feline, Adam’s life has been altered for the better.

“String Bean’s changed my life because he’s the first cat I’ve adopted since working at the ASPCA — and the first cat I’ve adopted from the ASPCA,” said Adam. “He’s made the work I do at the CRC really worth it. This is what I do the work for; these are the kinds of animals that I’m doing this work for and now he’s a part of my life.”