A few nights ago, while scrolling through TikTok, I stumbled upon a video that broke my heart. 

It told the story of Lucy Lou, a beautiful black cat who had spent 1,141 days at a shelter in Mokena, Illinois, waiting for someone to finally choose her. 

Lucy’s story tugged at my heartstrings, prompting me to dig deeper. After a few clicks and scrolls, I gathered all the information I needed. Spoiler alert: there’s good news ahead!

The video was shared by Fran Grzesik, a volunteer coordinator at the NAWS Humane Society of Illinois. 

Its purpose was to showcase Lucy Lou to potential adopters, in hopes that someone would fall in love and offer her a forever home. 

In the video, Fran wrote: 

“Lucy Lou has spent 1,141 days in our animal rescue program. She was relinquished due to no fault of her own. She waits, and waits, and waits for her forever home. But she is tired.”

According to Fran, Lucy Lou has been overlooked by potential adopters due to being FIV positive. This is so sad because, in Fran’s words, she is the most gentle girl, who truly deserves a loving home.

Unfortunately, another reason for the lack of interest may stem from the stigma surrounding cats like Lucy Lou. Many people are influenced by superstitions about black cats, which is often a dealbreaker in terms of cat adoption. 

Fran shared the video with the hope of combating these superstitions and inspiring people to adopt or foster shelter cats like Lucy Lou.

When Fran posted Lucy’s video, she could not have anticipated its impact. However, to her surprise, the video took TikTok by storm, reaching almost 6 million people around the world.

Can you believe it? Fran not only succeeded in raising awareness about adopting shelter cats but also helped make Lucy’s biggest dream come true…

Lucy Lou, You Don’t Have To Wait Anymore…

Among the millions who watched Lucy’s video was Laura, a wonderful woman moved to tears by the sight of lonely Lucy in her cage. 

Determined not to let Lucy spend another day in the shelter, Laura contacted Fran to express her desire to adopt Lucy Lou. 

Excited for her feline friend, Fran posted another video on TikTok to update everyone who had shown love for Lucy, announcing that she had finally found her forever home.

In the description of this video, Fran wrote:

“The power of social media is incredible. After waiting SO long, Lucy Lou finally found her forever home. I am so incredibly grateful to @Laura❤️‍🔥 for opening up your heart and home to Lucy Lou, I know that you will spoil her endlessly.”

Fran also expressed her gratitude to all the volunteers and shelter staff who had cared for Lucy over the years. Knowing how much Lucy would be missed, she added:

“We are all going to miss you SO much Lucy, but we know you are in the best hands possible.”

I was thrilled to learn that Lucy Lou had found her forever home. While I’m sure the shelter staff showered her with love every day, nothing compares to the love of a cat parent. 

If you want to follow Lucy’s adventures in her new home, I suggest you give Laura a follow on TikTok.

For more inspiring rescue stories and adorable animals, check out the NAWS Humane Society of Illinois on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook page.