I recently came across a touching story about a stray cat who’d lost all faith in people after enduring terrible mistreatment.
For two years, a kind woman had been feeding him, and one day she noticed something horrifying – an object sticking out of his head.
Unable to get close enough to examine it, she called a local animal rescue team, leading to a relentless mission to save this desperate cat.
Let me tell you all about it.
This woman ran a restaurant where the cat would come every day for a meal. Their little routine was heartwarming: she would set out a bowl of food, and he would come, hoping for more than just nourishment.
One day, the cat arrived with a severe injury. Initially, the woman thought he might have fought with other strays.
But as days passed, his condition worsened. First, he lost an eye, and then she noticed something alarming sticking out from his head.
It looked like a twig at first, but she realized it was something far worse – a nail hammered into his skull. Worried for her little buddy, she contacted the rescue team.
When the rescuers arrived, they immediately set up a few traps around the restaurant. But the cat was too clever and avoided their traps effortlessly.
So, they upped their game, setting more than 20 traps around the neighborhood and installing security cameras to track his movements.
Days went by with no luck. The cat would come to eat, scan the traps nervously, and then run away.
Worried about the risk of infection from his injury, the rescuers knew they had to try a different approach. So they decided to build a large trap to cover his entire feeding area.
With determination, the team constructed a massive trap at the restaurant’s back door, where the cat usually ate. They worked tirelessly, making sure everything was perfect. Finally, the trap was set, and all they could do was wait.
They spent over 10 hours watching and hoping. The cat seemed to sense something was amiss and was taking his time to arrive. Eventually, he showed up, tired but eager for food.
He hesitated as he approached the bowl placed beneath the trap. For a moment, it seemed like their efforts might fail. But then, a glimmer of hope appeared.
One of the security cameras captured another stray cat heading for the food. Seeing his dinner being taken, the injured cat moved in to reclaim it. The rescuers seized the chance: they sprung the trap and finally caught him.
The team felt so relieved and overjoyed as they realized this poor cat would finally get the help he needed. They gently calmed him and rushed him to the vet.
At the clinic, the vet discovered the injury was even more tragic than expected. An X-ray revealed that the object lodged in his head wasn’t a nail but an arrowhead. Someone had shot this poor feline with an arrow!
The arrow had been fired from below, piercing through his upper jaw and towards his ear. Removing it was a delicate procedure with high risks, but thankfully, the surgery was successful.
The vet confirmed the arrow was a broadhead, typically used for hunting large game, showing it was a deliberate act of cruelty.
Even though the shop couldn’t pinpoint who was responsible, the rescuers took the matter to the police. The investigation is ongoing, and everyone hopes the culprit will be found and stopped from hurting more animals.
But what really matters is that the resilient cat is now safe and sound. Thanks to the caring woman and the dedicated rescue team, he got the fresh start he truly deserves!