"Miracle Cat" Looking For A Family

PALM BEACH (CBS4) - He jumps around and plays like any other cat but Tri only has three legs.

Believe it or not that was the least of his problems when he was abandoned at Palm Beach Animal Control. He was a medical mess!

"You're actually seeing the heart beating through the surface of the skin there," said Dr. Carl Jehn of the Coral Springs Animal Hospital as he pointed to a video taken during surgery. "Here, this is primarily intestines, there's also some liver and part of the stomach as well."

Jehn said he had his work cut out for him because Tri's organs were outside of the body covered only with a layer skin. Dr. Jehn said he and staff knew that that Tri was the perfect candidate for major re-constructive surgery.

"It was that he was very healthy looking and his attitude," said Dr. Gloria Livadas from Palm Beach Animal Control. "He has a great personality, he is very nice."

Today, meowing and running around, Tri is happy, healthy and frisky.

"He likes to jump up on ya, he can jump on the counter," said Debbie Coutts who not only works at animal control but has provided Tri with a temporary foster home. "He sleeps on the bed. I have some dogs, he loves them. He loves to play with the dogs.

Coutts calls Tri her "a miracle cat" that's used up several of its nine lives.

"This is one very lucky, lucky cat. If they didn't bring him here, he wouldn't have lived much longer the way he was," said Coutts.

Tri is looking for a good home – a permanent home. Anyone interested is urged to call the Palm Beach Animal Control.