When cats are lost, they often have a knack of finding their way home.

One lucky feline took it one step further - it figured out where to go when it was injured.

Lazarus, an adult white cat with gray markings, was struck by a vehicle near Andreas, a village southeast of Tamaqua, in early December.

With a crushed right rear leg, the cat struggled for an estimated four to six weeks in the cold and snow before finding the porch of Gloria, a cat lover who resides in a rural part of Andreas.

Gloria, who was not available for comment and whose last name wasn't given, cared for the cat before taking it to veterinarian I.H. Kathio at the Pittston Animal Hospital.

Gloria's friend, Jeancarrollcq Brislin of Hazleton, was amazed by the cat's survival despite suffering from malnutrition.

"The cat was near death," said Brislin, who noted the cat was named after Lazarus in the Bible. (In the Bible, Lazarus rises from the dead.)

"It was involved in a hit and run, left to struggle carrying a broken leg and dead weight."

Lazarus arrived at Gloria's on New Year's Eve and was taken to Kathio who amputated the leg to save the cat's life.

"The cat was very weak and its leg had no life," Kathio said. "The gangrene had already set in and it would have died in a few weeks if the toxins continued to spread. The leg had to be amputated."

Although the snow and frigid temperatures made for rough travels, Kathio said the wintry elements aided the cat's chances for survival.

"The cat survived on body fat and he was lucky that snow was on the ground so it could lick it and maintain its body condition to survive," Kathio said. "Water was very important to the cat."

The laser surgery was performed Jan. 3 and Lazarus remained in Kathio's office for a few days to recuperate. Free laser surgery was chosen because the cat had anemia and didn't have enough blood in its body to survive a routine surgery, the veterinarian said.

Lazarus was picked up Jan. 6 and returned to Kathio on Jan. 20 to have its stitches removed.

So far, the healing process has been slow but sure.

"You see the cat walking and hopping along on its legs and it's the most loving, gentle cat I've ever seen, despite some pain," Brislin said.

Kathio described Lazarus' recovery as phenomenal and excellent.

Although Lazarus was lucky, Brislin believes there's a lesson to be learned from a driver's perspective.

"If you hit an animal don't assume it's dead," Brislin said. "Stop. Pull off the side of the road and if you don't want to touch it, call the authorities and let them do something about it."

Brislin is grateful for Kathio's generosity.

"He deserves praise," Brislin said. "He doesn't need praise, he deserves it."