Gizmo

Tiny kitten Gizmo was put in a garbage bag with his mother and three siblings and cruelly thrown from an upper-floor Melbourne apartment block. Against all odds, he was the only survivor of the fall.

Good Samaritan Mario was visiting a friend when he had to step around a garbage bag on the footpath.

He noticed the bag moving and heard a noise coming from inside. Mario thought it was probably a rat, but opened the bag to check, and was shocked to find a family of cats.

The mother cat and two or three of the kittens had not survived the fall.

Mario heard a faint sound and noticed that one kitten was alive, barely, trying to feed from its mother. He gently cradled the kitten in his hand and rushed it home, gave it some warm milk and snuggled up with it to keep it warm for the night.

In safe hands

The next morning, Mario brought the kitten to Lort Smith. Adoption Centre General Manager Serena Horg took the kitten into our care. While he certainly wasn't out of the woods, she was hopeful the little fellow would survive.

"I was appalled to think that anyone could be this heartless," Serena says. "There's absolutely no reason for it. If people have animals they don't want, we can always help them."

Gizmo spent a few days at Lort Smith being thoroughly checked by our vets, and miraculously he appeared to be healthy. We then arranged for him to go to a loving foster home, where he got the TLC he deserved.

Gizmo grew bigger and stronger every day in foster care, and was well enough to come back to Lort Smith for adoption.

Lots of people were keen to adopt this incredible little man, and we found him a wonderful home.

Gizmo is now happy and healthy, living with another cat named Cleo, who was also adopted from Lort Smith. They've found the most wonderful, loving home and become the best of friends. Gizmo's carer says he's a very happy, tubby tabby who loves Cleo, cuddles and biscuits, and brings lots of love to their little family.