Sick cat meets Gritty: 'Us furballs need to stick together'

"I never considered myself a cat-person, or a person at all TBH, but...us furballs need to stick together," Gritty said.

Christie Ileto Image
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Sick cat crosses item off bucket list - he got to meet Gritty!
"I never considered myself a cat-person, or a person at all TBH, but...us furballs need to stick together," Gritty said.

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Marty, a cat diagnosed with a rare storage disease a year ago, has been living on borrowed time.

But a bucket list put together by the team at Fishtails Animal Rescue in Philadelphia is giving new life to the meaning that cats really do have nine lives.

On Tuesday night, Marty the cat crossed another item off that list - he got to meet Gritty! It happened last night at the Flyers game at the Wells Fargo Center.

Gritty saw Marty's story earlier this month and had to meet him.

SEE ALSO: Philadelphia animal rescue group creates bucket list for sick cat: 'He wasn't ready to go'

"I never considered myself a cat-person, or a person at all TBH, but in trying times, us furballs need to stick together," Gritty said.

"It was just so heartwarming to know that his story has touched other people and that they were excited to meet him and be a part of it," said Lauren Cohn, founder of Fishtails Animal Rescue.

Cohn took video of Marty's reaction last night.

She said the game wasn't just about celebrating Marty, but also a chance for all the staff who've played a role in his rescue, care and rehab, to come together and celebrate their work.

"And it's nice for the staff, all the people that work so hard with him every day, to know that it's not just because Marty has a cool story, it's again about giving people hope during a very difficulty time," she said.

Next up, Marty hopes to head to the aquarium and receive a love note from Taylor Swift.