It is funny and kind of sad when you become aware of the fact that some cats get to live the best feline life ever, while others get a run of bad luck.
Some felines never get to worry about fresh food and water, a roof over their heads, and their owner’s affection, while some either never experience it or end up losing it for whatever reason.
Some kitties live their life lounging around the house and napping on the window sill, dreaming about the great outdoors, while other, unlucky kitties, do not have to dream about it. They live it, every day and it’s not always very pleasant and desirable.
My heart cries for every stray cat whose life is nothing like she deserves. And today, I’m particularly sensitive about Cotton, the cat who was once dealt such an awful hand.
Cotton is one of those cats who started his life as a part of a loving family, but for whatever reason had to lose it. The best years of his feline life, he, unfortunately, got to spend on the street as a stray, desperately looking for people to love and a place to, once again, call home.
Life on the street did not pamper him. Going from one street corner to another, Cotton collected virus after virus, often encountering cruelty from both people and other animals. He was hungry, thirsty, tired and exhausted, sad and desperate, and unable to believe in a better tomorrow.
Being sick, dirty, drained of energy, and living almost on his last legs, Cotton also suffered from mange. This skin condition is not really considered an illness, but it definitely has some severe and unpleasant symptoms.
(Credit: Carmen Morales Weinberg)
Mange is caused by various parasites which inhabit a cat’s skin and bite into it. This causes itching, inflammation, flaking, and hair loss. This condition scabbed his eye area, causing his eyes to completely shut, which resulted in him being completely blind.
Being a stray is hard enough, but being a blind stray is a nightmare. Cotton was probably at the lowest point in his life, wondering what good fortune, God, or guardian angel is leaving him alive, and for what reason. But he soon found out.
Cotton was found one day on the streets of Royal Palm Beach, Florida. A man saw the poor thing wandering around, and it appeared to him as though the cat came out of nowhere.
The man was in shock when he saw him. He rushed inside his house to get some food and lure Cotton into a carrier he also prepared. Cotton was so hungry that he didn’t hesitate for a second to get inside.
The man said how Cotton looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, and like he hadn’t received love and proper attention maybe in years. He took a picture of him and posted it on Facebook, with a caption that explained how he was looking for someone to take care of Cotton because he wasn’t able to.
Thankfully, a woman named Carmen Weinberg, the founder of the Animal Friends Project organization in Florida reached out immediately. The next morning, she came and picked up Cotton, and didn’t think twice to take him to a vet she knew and worked with.
The vet did a thorough examination and confirmed Cotton was suffering from mange and was severely malnourished.
Carmen was determined to help him get better. It was evident that Cotton was an affectionate and loving cat. He was purring the entire time, as though he was beyond happy someone finally stood up for him.
They gave Cotton some antibiotics, a dose of Revolution, and some ointments, and then Carmen took him to her home. Her family was used to taking care of cats in need, so they all knew that what Cotton needed the most is a lot of love.
He was very skinny, but his appetite was amazing. Soon, he regained his strength and put on some healthy weight. But more importantly, his condition drastically improved.
After a couple of days, the scabbing from his eyes slowly started to go away, and everyone was surprised to see that Cotton is slowly opening his eyes. They were all beyond happy to realize that Cotton wasn’t blind after all.
(Credit: Carmen Morales Weinberg)
The scabbing soon disappeared completely, and Cotton revealed one blue and one yellow eye. What a miracle! After years of walking in darkness (both literally and metaphorically), Cotton finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
When he recovered completely, Carmen helped him find the loving home he deserved. Which wasn’t that hard since he was truly an amazing kitty, full of love and affection toward people.
We can all hope that every stray cat will have a happy ending, similar to Cotton. And if we can help in any way, I truly hope we all do so. That can be a small thing for us to do, but would definitely mean the world to a kitty in need.
