Woman Adopts Cat Who Spent a Few of Its 9 Lives

Naming a cat who survived in an attic for 2 1/2 weeks without food or water was easy, according to its new owner.

Meet Lucky.

The small, black feline was brought to its new home Sunday night by Diane Huml, 47, a Saugus resident who thought a published picture of the cat resembled the pet she lost in July. It wasn’t, but Huml adopted the cat when no one else came forward to claim ownership.

“She’s lucky to be alive, so the name seemed to be appropriate,” she said.

The cat was found a week ago by Georgia George, a retired Sand Canyon resident who said the cat was accidentally sealed in her attic Aug. 5 by workers repairing earthquake damage. George and her niece went on a vacation to Europe two days later, discovering the cat the day they returned.

George nursed the cat back to health, but couldn’t keep it, she said. However, Huml and a few others expressed interest in bringing the cat home if the owner could not be found.

Lucky, still a bit thin from her experience, will have plenty of company at her new home. Huml said she is an animal lover and has two other cats, two dogs, five turtles and a tortoise.

“There was the normal hissing and ‘This is our territory’ disputes . . . but I’m sure she’ll fit in,” she said.