This Iowa cat spent 9 years in an animal shelter. He was just adopted.

How far would you travel to rescue a 9-year-old cat? Reddit users were ready to cross international borders.

Barney had lived at Emmet County Animal Shelter in Estherville, Iowa, since he was born, and after nine years, his situation finally began to gain the attention it deserved.

A picture of Barney was shared in the subreddit r/aww on Aug. 15. The user noted his circumstances and adorable smile.

This post received tens of thousands of views and over a thousand comments. Sharers and commenters were overwhelmingly concerned about finding Barney a "purrever" home.

Barney received nothing but love in the comments. One Reddit user said, "he deserves to be in a home getting cuddles and love."

Barney even got attention outside of the states. Another user in the subreddit claimed, "I will drive down from Canada to adopt this beaut."

It wasn't long before the applications started coming in at Emmet County Animal Shelter. After a couple days of sifting through nearly 15 new applications, the lucky family was finally chosen.

Barney's new mom, Amanda Scherer, said, "I was scrolling through Reddit and he popped up […] I saw him and thought he was super cute."

Living six hours away didn't stop the Scherer family, and they even made the trip more than once.

"The first day, my mom and I were driving together and we only made it about halfway when they called and said he had a fever from his booster shot," Scherer said. "So we had to turn around and come home."

But, this didn't stop the family from making another trip out.

"They said he'd been there for nine years, I really wanted to give him a home," Scherer said.

And a home, he got. Within a few days, Barney was at the Scherer house with a new mom and dad, another furry sibling and a new 3 1/2-year-old sister.

Scherer said Barney was a bit nervous at first, and spent the first couple of days under the bed, trying to get acquainted with his new life.

But worry not, Barney eventually came out to play with his new toys and check out his scratching post.

The Scherer family has big plans in store for Barney's new life, including a family Halloween costume. He's even got a harness and leash in case he ever wants to explore the great outdoors.

Things are looking up for Barney.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa animal shelter finds home for cat Barney, who spent 9 years there