FLORIDA – This is the story of Cotton the cat!
A cat had been living outdoors and was blind when a good Samaritan decided to rescue him and get him some desperately needed help!
With this wonderful second chance, Cotton was able to see again and surprised everyone with just how gorgeous his eyes actually are!
His road to recovery started when he was found wandering outside a home in Royal Palm Beach, Florida.
The owner of the property, whose name is Joe, went outside and couldn’t believe what he saw.
“He said Cotton came out of nowhere and started eating from the bowl of food he had for his cat. He said Cotton seemed very hungry, like if he had not eaten in days,” Carmen Weinberg, who is the founder of Animal Friends Project, explained to Love Meow.
It wasn’t long at all before the man realized the cat was suffering from a severe case of mange. The poor kitty’s eyes were literally crusted shut and he was as good as blind!
And so, Joe hurried to his house to fetch a carrier and decided to place some food inside. Cotton was so absolutely starving that he walked right into the carrier, no questions asked!
Afterward, Joe decided to post a plea in a local group on Facebook, but unfortunately, it seemed no one was able to help.
Finally, Carmen stumbled upon the post through a friend and she didn’t hesitate to volunteer to help.
The truth is, Carmen had treated cats suffering from the same condition in the past, and so, she knew she just had to help.
“Early the next morning, I drove to pick him up. I took him immediately to my vet, Justin Bartlett Animal Hospital, and they confirmed that he was suffering from mange, was very dehydrated and malnourished,” Carmen stated to Love Meow.
Cotton wasn’t able to open his eyes on account of the disease, and he had been walking outdoors completely blind for God only knows how long.
“He purred the whole time they were examining him! He received antibiotics, a dose of Revolution and fluids and we went home. Fortunately, I had a spare bathroom where he could stay.
“Cotton was very skinny but fortunately, he ate well and was in good spirits. He must have sensed we were trying to help him and he loved to be touched.
“My husband Don, son Carlos and daughter Elisa, are used to dealing with cats with many illnesses and we knew that if we took some precautions, that we could still touch and love Cotton to help him heal.”
Within just a few days, the crusty stuff on his ears began to fall off and this brave little boy was well on his road to recovery!
“We put Coconut oil to soothe his skin and gave him lots of water and canned food to keep him hydrated. Cotton stayed hunched over for days and days and seemed very uncomfortable. It was hard seeing him in that condition, knowing only time would heal him.
“Little by little he started to gain weight. It was a nice surprise to see that he had one blue eye and one yellow eye. His hair started to grow again.”
“Cotton is very vocal and he would make noise to let us know that he wanted attention. He loves people and searches for attention. He wants to be where you are.”
And here he is now after just a few months had passed!
Cotton is happy now and completely loving his new life and just can’t seem to get enough of love.
We should also mention, Cotton is in search of a forever home! If you are perhaps interested in adopting Cotton, feel free to email carmen@animalfriendsproject.org or fill out an application right here!
Photo credits: Carmen Weinberg │ Via: www.lovemeow.com