It is very difficult to realize that today there are too many abandoned cats in the world left to fend for themselves. To be clear, even a single neglected cat is a devastating fact, but the streets of our cities actually hide thousands of furry strays.
Some of them were, unfortunately, left by their owners who, for whatever reason, decided that they no longer can take care of them. While others were abandoned by their mothers who were probably previously abandoned by their owners, too.
Either way, stray cats are our reality, and our hearts are breaking for them and the uncertain future that awaits them. We can only do so much – which is still good – but how amazing would it be if we could rescue every single stray cat from the street?
It would be a true feline paradise, for sure. It is unfortunately impossible to achieve such a Utopia. But, small steps in that direction can be made, nevertheless.
Some cats might be fine living on the street. As long as there are benevolent people to feed them, give them occasional cuddles, and check their health, those cats are good to go. After all, living in the “wild” is in their nature. They are predisposed to seek the great outdoors.
Think about the feral cats of Istanbul. These felines live on the streets of this busy city, but somehow they are owned by everyone. They are so well treated and they basically lack nothing.
However, there are cases when small and fragile cats end up abandoned on the street, unable to take care of themselves, and without anyone to care for them as well.
Today, we are introduced to a story of a kitty named Janie whose life began with little chance of survival. But thanks to the goodness of people who found themselves in the right place at the right time, she was saved.
The staff members of the Tiny But Mighty Kitten Rescue shelter from Cornwall, Ontario, found Janie one sunny day alone on a block of hot concrete. Their founder, Melissa said how the poor kitty was barely one day old, and how she was screaming and crying to be saved.
They took her to the shelter and thoroughly examined her. They noticed she had severe burns on her back paws due to lying on an extremely hot sidewalk. Apart from tending to her burns, they noticed Janie was unusually small.
They put her on the scale which showed she weighed only 2.8 ounces, which was little even for a newly born kitten. However, such a tiny body somehow managed to contain all the feline energy possible.
Melissa said how Janie was so energetic, active, and vocal. It was as though she was already in love with life and desperately wanted to hold on to it.
The most interesting feature about Janie wasn’t her small body or her mighty personality. It was actually her very special fur with which many people worldwide fell in love.
Janie had the type of fur we refer to as “fever coat“, which is a silver dusting of fur kittens usually have when their mothers are sick or anxious during pregnancy.
Kittens don’t get to keep this special colored fur, as they mostly outgrow it over time. Melissa predicted that her silvery fur would turn black as she grows older. Until that happens, there’s nothing left to do but to feast our eyes on this beauty and her beautiful fur.
Because of her small size, Janie had to spend two weeks in an incubator to get stronger. During that time, without even knowing it, she gained the sympathy of a cat name June, who just so happened to be a new mother.
June was so eager to meet Janie that she was often found meowing outside the incubator for her to come out. And once she finally did, June didn’t hesitate for a second, and she accepted Janie as one of her own.
She licked her all over for more than 10 minutes until she prepared her to meet the rest of the crew. She snuggled Janie with other kittens and an unbreakable bond was created.
Janie’s new siblings soon accepted her, but she was especially liked by Jasmine, who immediately showed great interest in her younger sister.
As time passed, Janie and the rest of the kittens were slowly growing. Her silver coat has been gradually fading, but her fiery personality remained. We can say that Janie was like this because she was, in a way, born out of the fire (a.k.a. burning hot concrete sidewalk).
Nevertheless, one thing is certain: this adorable kitten is alive and well today thanks to the kindness that some people still have in them! All we can do is pray that the other abandoned cats will meet a similar fate as Janie’s.