Animals that are rescued in this way and dropped into a warm and loving household are often the best pets. I don't know that they remember the rescue, or weigh the pros and cons of living in different places, but it seems like that moment of meeting, when you both decide to adopt each other, the magic happens.

I know that was the case with my pitbull Cinnamon; she had (I learned later) been chased off for weeks by various neighbors up the street because of her breed. She lived in the prairie and probably off of trash, and was at one point hit a glancing blow by a car. When she limped up my driveway I walked out and called her over. I patted her head, she licked my hand, and it wasn't until later I realized that was our contract.

Leonard will be the cat in your house with the great origin story, and when he gets big and fat and sassy, you'll always know how close he was to having none of this, and how lucky you are with that roadside rescue.

Congratulations to all of you!